Things Worth Finding
by RiaDeLeon
Summary: Lia Greene has always been searching for something, though she hasn't the slightest idea of what it is. After the death of her father, she loses the desire to do or be anything until an old friend of her mother's pays her a visit. Little does Lia know that Mrs. Weber has a habit of dropping unsuspecting people into fictional worlds...this time into MiddleEarth in the midst of a war
1. To Be or Not to Be

**Hello everyone! I've been messing around with this idea for a long time and I'm finally plucking up courage to post it. I'm a sucker for stories where a girl falls into Middle-Earth, and frankly, I don't think there's enough of them. I try to avoid having my characters be Mary-Sueish, that being said, this is gonna be story with a ridiculous plot (*cough* Legomance Feä-mates *cough*). I have the next chapter already written, so if I get enough of a reaction to this fic I'll post it before next Sunday. A bit more info about the story, it's a love story, more so than my other fic _Thing's Worth Changing_ (Which you should check out if you like 'girl falls into a book plot' that one's Harry Potter). Yes, there will be lemons later on, but they have disclaimers before them if that's not your thing. I'm gonna be messing with canon, which will be taken more from movies than the books, except I will be using The Silmarillion for other things that you'll have to wait and see about *wink*. So without further ado, please enjoy this silly little story and don't forget to review letting me know what y'all think.**

 **Warning: Cheesy but fun plot line ahead that you should not take too seriously. Oh, and I don't own anything having to do with the Lord of the Rings. Also, I suck at catching grammatical and spelling mistakes, so try not to hate me for that.**

Chapter 1: To Be or Not to Be

All her life, Lia had been searching for _something._ Her father had told her that she was just a bit windy. She never liked staying in one place too long, she got restless easily, and she could turn from a gentle breeze into Gale Force Winds before the pitiful subject of her anger even knew what offense they'd committed. She didn't like staying still, some part of her way perpetually moving, fiddling with whatever was within reach, bouncing her leg, or swaying on the spot as if she was listening to music only she could hear. Early school had been torture for her, and she didn't understand how other could just sit still like they did. When her body was still, her mind whirled and spun like a frantic machine, raging and wondering ceaselessly, but when she moved, her mind cleared as if her muscles could channel the energy she had into something actually productive. Her father said she was like her mother, who's also always been like that paired with a formidable temper.

Lia's temper was something that, more often than not, got her into trouble. If she saw something that she didn't like, she hit first and asked questions later. This characteristic had caused three school transfers before she reached the 3rd grade, and her father could never get to the bottom of why she always felt the need to fight. Her father, however, being a logical man thought a little guiltily that it had something to do with Lia losing her mother such a young age. Lia's father thought that with only himself to raise her, perhaps it was the lack on feminine influence that caused her to have more aggression than the average girl. It was a bit odd how much she loved war movies, anything with competition or fighting, and it was almost uncanny the way she could reenact entire fight sequences from memory as she played in the back yard of their small, red-brick home. She needed to move, it was simple as that, and one day in a spark of realization, her father came up with a plan.

On Lia's 8th birthday, his gift to her was Karate lessons, and she was over the moon with excitement until he'd told her the catch. She had to take Ballet as well.

"But daaaad…" She whined, looking down at the white Karate robe, and the pink leotard laid out on the kitchen table in front of her. Her father held up his hand to silence her.

"It's a good thing to be well balanced, and it won't kill you to develop a gentler side…" He said, nearly laughing at her scrunched up face. Lia humphed petulantly, but ultimately decided that if Ballet was the price to pay in order to learn to fight as well, she'd learn to suffer through it.

After Lia started her lessons, her grades improved and she stopped getting into fights at school altogether, though her classmate still tried to give her temper a wide birth. Although Ballet felt like a chore to her most of the time, with it's soft movements and graceful music, she still found herself appreciating the way in stretched and strengthened her limbs in a different way, and she also liked that it was teaching her patience. Besides that, she was proud of it, though she wasn't fond of it…her mother had loved dancing, ballet, tap and jazz, as well as music that carried through to Lia herself, and the girl liked the idea of doing something her mother had loved.

Nothing though could compare to her love of Martial Arts. Karate moved her body, and let her mind rest for once. It gave her a code that she promised herself she'd always live by, to have humility and treat others with gentleness. Later in her life, she'd often consider the irony, that learning how to fight was what taught her how to be gentle as well. It made her heart light, and made her feel like she was working towards… _Something._ She didn't know what the something was, whether it was a goal, or a person, or a place, but she knew that if she worked hard, she would find it, whatever it was. At least, that was how she used to feel…

Lia hadn't felt much of anything in a while…not since her father had died last December. Three months after his heart attack, Lia couldn't do or be anything other than silent and still. No more Karate, no more laughing, no more anything. After the funeral, she walked into her room and laid down on her bed, and that was where she stayed. She ate only when forced, and bathed less. Her room had become her world, her prison and protection from the empty house that used to contain so much happiness. She hated leaving her room. When she was in it, she could pretend that her father was still there in the house she'd always known, down the hall in his office, reading and listening to Rhapsody in Blue for the billionth time or maybe Vivaldi, but whenever she left it, the spell broke and her imagination wasn't strong enough to deny that her father was gone. He never be back, and all she had left was memories and make-believe.

 _It gets easier…time is a balm that lets the heart heal itself…life goes on._ Those stupid cliches that everyone kept saying grated on her like steel on stone, and she clung to the hate she had for the phrases themselves and the ignorant people who said them. The hate was better than grief, so she directed it towards her well meaning family and friends, towards god or the universe that had taken her father away, and hate towards her father; that he'd left her at 21 before he could teach her how to do her taxes, or change her cars oil, or see her graduate with her bachelors in Criminal Justice. Although she knew it wouldn't help her, Lia had developed a habit of counting all the things that she'd lost when her father had died, all the things she could never have ticked in her head like a morbid metronome, every single day.

Lying in her bedroom staring up at the high ceiling, she checked off the experiences that had been stolen from her. The Southern California heat was just beginning to make itself known outside as February came to a close.

"First spring…" She said to herself… _Without him,_ she finished in her head not daring to say it aloud. The invasive sound of the doorbell jarred her to sit up in bed. Lia sighed, threw the covers off of herself and walked through the house, not bothering to change out of the blue pajamas she'd been wearing for five days straight, or even checking her lank, greasy hair or gaunt face in the mirror. She suspected it must be some relative come to check and make sure she was still alive…whatever that meant. She hadn't been answering her phone at all and couldn't remember the last time she left her house, so it was probably right that she was due a visit.

As she walked limply down the hall to the front door, she briefly considered telling whoever it was to fuck off with their concern. She didn't want or need it, but her father would never have wanted her to act that way, he'd raised her to be kinder than that, so with a bitter sigh, she unbolted the front door and swung it open.

"Hello, Miss Green? Miss Ophelia Green?"

Lia stared down at the small woman in the doorway with confusion. She looked very old, maybe in her mid-eighties. Her voice was strong if a bit raspy, but her frame looked frail beneath the pink Sunday morning church dress she wore.

"Yes…" Lia answered hesitantly, not recognizing this woman at all.

"Oh, good. Thought I was in the wrong area. All the houses look the same around here, don't they?" The woman said with a pleasant smile. "May I come in?" She asked. Lia blinked several times, wondering what the hell this woman wanted.

"I'm sorry…who are you?" Lia asked a little impatiently.

"Mrs. Weber…I was an old friend of your mothers." The woman answered, extending her wrinkled hand with a friendly smile. Lia felt a spark of recognition at that, and slowly took the old woman's papery hand and shook it briefly as she nodded.

"Mrs. Weber? The woman my mom lived with before she met my dad?" Lia asked. She vaguely remembered her father mentioning that name before, though only ever in passing. Mrs. Weber smiled brightly, and bowed her head.

"The very same." She confirmed, letting go of Lia's cold hand. Lia gave a close lipped, fake smile. With the mystery solved, Lia felt herself wilt again and had the strong urge to slam the door and crawl back into her bed. Still, though, that wouldn't be right. If Lia remembered correctly, the woman had been living in Arizona, that was a six hour drive one way, and the least Lia could do was be hospitable. The girl sighed tiredly, and stepped aside to grant the woman entrance into the dim house.

"Come in…I apologize for the mess. Can I get you something to drink? I've got water and iced tea I think." Lia said, closing the door and leading the woman the house to the sunlit kitchen.

"Thank you, Ophelia…Iced tea would be lovely." The woman said, after Lia gestured for her to have a seat at the kitchen table. Lia looked at the woman sharply.

"Please don't call me that, I go by Lia…" The girl replied grumpily. Mrs. Weber raised an eyebrow at her.

"It's quite a pretty name, Shakespearian isn't it?" The old woman replied. Lia felt her nose twitch in irritation.

"Yep, named after the crazy girl that drowned herself because she couldn't get Hamlet to make a decision…What a fantastic namesake." She mumbled sarcastically as she poured some sweet tea into a tall glass of ice.

"I think, perhaps, that Ophelia just felt things a little more profoundly than most…not a bad thing you know." Mrs. Weber said softly. Lia placed the glass of tea in from of the old woman, and sat down in the chair next to her, the girl looking tired and blank faced. Hearing Mrs. Weber say that only hurt, because her father had always said something similar.

"So…why are you here?" Lia asked bluntly, wanting to get this visit over and done with.

"I came her for two reasons…the first is to offer my deepest apologies for your loss, you father was a wonderful person, and the world is a poorer place without him." Mrs. Weber said, reaching out to Lia's hand resting on the tabletop. Lia pulled her hand back abruptly, not wanting to be touched as she felt a familiar cold shell of ice descend over her heart and lungs, making it painful to breath. Lia glanced up at the woman, she didn't need to be told that, she already knew the world was darker without her father in it. Mrs. Weber gave her a tender look, a look of pity that Lia hated seeing directed at her. Lia swallowed thickly.

"…And the other reason?" She said, angry that her voice sounded choked. Mrs. Weber nodded.

"Right, yes…" The old woman said as if remembering something. She took the small pink purse off of her arm and set it on the kitchen table. "I have a gift for you." She said, as she began rummaging through the bag. Lia tried her best to not look annoyed but she knew she wasn't succeeding and she couldn't really find the will to care. Lia watched as the woman searched, taking a myriad of things out of the cluttered bag, pill bottles, coins and scrapes of paper to lay them on the table.

"Ah ha!" The old woman exclaimed abruptly, making Lia jump in her seat. Mrs. Weber considered the shiny thing in her hand for a moment with a smile on her face, before she placed it on the table in front of Lia. Despite herself, Lia felt something she hadn't felt in a while…curiosity. Lia knit her brows together and leaned over to better inspect the thing. It seemed to be a hair pin made of a glimmering white gold with a green gem cut to resemble a leaf with silver veins running through it. It looked familiar, but Lia couldn't place where she'd seen something similar.

"You have seen it before…although you saw it as a brooch." Mrs. Weber said, reading Lia's expression. The girl nodded as she remember then.

"Oh yeah, so is this like a Lord of the Rings collectable or something?" Lia asked, her tone gentler than it had been a moment ago. "I used to watch that movie as a kid…wow, I haven't thought about that in ages." Lia said, almost fondly. She'd always loved any story with battles, or a quest…but she also remember loving something else about that movie that she couldn't remember now. Something vague about the color green she though before shaking her head to dislodge the memory. It was so long ago, she hardly even remembered the story now.

"It's a little more _precious_ than a collectable." Mrs. Weber said pointedly with a knowing smile. Lia's head shot up at that word, and for the first time in nearly three months, she felt a bubble of laughter catch in her throat.

"I loved that movie, but god, Gollum used to scare me so bad. I would shove my face into my dad's arm whenever…"

The small smile dissolved away from Lia's face, and the shell of ice came around her heart and lungs once again. She'd almost been able to forget for a second, and she felt a crushing guilt at having smiled. Her vision swam and blurred with tears and before she could even attempt to stop them, she felt them fall, hot on her cold cheeks. She stood up sharply, making the chair legs screech against the kitchen floor, and walked away from the table towards the sink, not wanting this complete stranger see her cry.

"You don't need to be ashamed of your tears, Lia. I've seen many shed in my life, and for much shallower reasons than this." The old woman said softly, and Lia wondered why she didn't feel angry at that coddling statement.

"I just…everything reminds me of him, and I can't leave. I'm stuck here, just completely frozen in this house. I don't want this…this fucking immobility, everything her makes me miss him, but I can't leave." Lia said as if the words were being wrenched from her against her will. She was entirely unable to stop her tears or her words. It was more than she'd ever spoken on the subject, and she didn't know why this old woman was the one who got to hear it. Lia felt the strong desire to hit something flare up in her chest, but with nothing within reach, she just balled her hands into fists until she felt her joints crack in protest. Lia stared out the kitchen window into the back yard, and wondered if she would ever feel happy again…she doubted it. The old woman grunted as she stood up from her chair, and Lia heard the click of her heals as she came to stand beside her. Lia felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and didn't bother to shrug it away. She looked down at the small, frail women with her eyes red and her face blank. She was almost taken aback at the intensity on the old woman's face.

"Do you truly mean that, Lia? Think hard…" Mrs. Weber said. Lia's eyes turned fiery.

"I would never say something I didn't mean." Lia replied sharply, not liking this woman questioning her sincerity.

"If you truly mean what you say…you can leave here, but if you do…there will be no coming back." Mrs. Weber said, her voice heavy and dark. Lia shook her head, not understanding what the woman meant.

"What's the big mystery? I don't want to be here, and I told you that I can't just leave. I'm trapped, how am I supposed to leave when my whole life is here…where would I even go?" The girl asked bitterly. Lia was surprised and a little offended at hearing the woman chuckle.

"You know, there was this other girl I helped recently…but that poor thing was far less connected to reality, more willing to understand that sometimes the world is just chaos, she had a knack for laughing at it though…" Mrs. Weber said with a distant twinkle in her eye. "If she would've asked me where she was going, I would've told her, but you?" She said with a chuckle. "You'd never believe me. You're the kind that has to see something to believe it." Mrs. Weber said with a knowing smile. "So…I'll just say this. First, clean yourself up, take a shower, and put on some hiking clothes. After that, I recommend packing a bag with some non-perishables, a first aid kit, a warm change of clothes, a sleeping bag and some very, _very_ good walking shoes. Now, I'll get out of your hair and be back in an hour." The woman said crisply, patting Lia on the shoulder before turning away to leave. Lia looked at the crazy woman walking away from her.

"So, you wanna take me on a camping trip?" Lia asked, feeling very confused.

"Oh, heavens, no. I'm not going anywhere, you're going alone." Mrs. Weber said with a chuckle, turning back around to face Lia. Lia surveyed the woman, weighing her options, and despite her sadness, the thought of getting away was certainly appealing. What did she really stand to lose? Anyplace was better than where she was.

"Let's hold on a second, and say, hypothetically, that I go do this Into the Wild, soul searching thing…what's in it for you? Why are you doing this? and what do you mean there's no coming back?" Lia asked, shrewdly eyeing Mrs. Weber. To Lia's surprise the old woman smiled kindly.

"It's my calling, dear, everyone has one…and mine is to help other people find theirs. Some people are restless in this world, and they just need a kick in the pants to go where they're meant to be…and to answer you last question…well, you won't want to come back." The woman said with a shrug. Everything this woman said was like a riddle wrapped in a proverb written in greek, and Lia wasn't very happy with that. She liked things to be clear and honest, everything else was a waste of time. "Think it over, dear. I'll show myself out, and be back in a couple hours." Mrs. Weber said, leaving Lia before the girl could gather herself to ask any more questions. Lia heard the woman's shoes click down the hall and finally heard the door open and close. She was alone again, but that wasn't what she really wanted…with only a short conversation, that old woman had switched something back on in Lia's brain, something the girl had thought had died along with her father.

Lia thought that, perhaps, staying here in this house that she had loved was only hurting her, taking away the last bits of happiness she hoped could still be revived in her heart. No sooner had that thought breached her mind than she felt something dark and cold cringe inside of her. Wouldn't that be like running away from her father? Even though he was dead, leaving this house would be like betraying him. It was a betrayal to remove herself from her grief, it would almost be like removing the part of her heart that had loved him. Lia stomped her foot on the floor, gripping her scalp painfully as she struggled with the sadness in her heart. What had she turned into? A pathetic little girl who listened to a lying inner voice? No, her father had raised her better than that. He never would have wanted her to live the way she was.

"It's not betrayal…it's goodbye." She whispered to herself. Lia felt her eyes sting as she felt her heart tear between two choices. She didn't want to say goodbye, but she knew she needed to. She had to try, at least try to live a happy life, and although the dark part of her heart tried to tell her she was wrong, she knew that this was how she could best honor her father.

At that thought, Lia felt something stir in her heavy heart, lightening it with a feeling that almost seemed foreign. It was a heat, the same one she'd felt before a Karate tournament, a restlessness that made her body itch to move…because she'd always known that every step she took was leading her towards… _something._ That something had a long path of stones leading toward it, and for the first time in a long time, she wanted to take the next step. Her body thrummed with the need to move, as if it was waking up and realizing that it had been still for far too long. A small smile showed in her eyes for a moment, though her lips remained straight. She nodded to herself and stomped to the shower.

Lia stepped out of the shower, wrapped a fluffy white towel around her body, and wiped down the foggy bathroom mirror with her hand. It'd been such a long time since she dared to look at herself in the mirror. Her skin, which had always been tanned by the California sun, was much paler than she remembered. Her eyes were the same color her mother's had been, a deep, golden amber that flickered like flames in her large, round sockets. Her face, she'd always thought, was striking more than beautiful. Angular and sharp, with high hollowed cheek bones, wide, full lips and a jaw that was too square to be considered feminine. She never wore makeup, she didn't like the way it made her face feel heavy and the way it made her feel like she needed to walk slower lest she dislodge whatever products were on her face. She wasn't too fond of her face, she thought it looked a bit to harsh, but there were two things she did like about her appearance. She liked her body, that it was strong and lean, but with subtle curves that separated her from being mistaken for a boy, and she loved her hair. Her hair was the one thing about her appearance that she was vain about, and she'd taken good care of it religiously since she was a child. It was a very fair, strawberry blonde that almost looked pinkish in the right lighting, and it fell to her waist in soft waves without her having to do anything other than let it dry.

Being in Karate at an early age, she'd considered cutting it all off on more than one occasion to make her life easier, but in the end she thought her hair was just too pretty to be cut more than an inch at a time. She'd inherited most of her appearance from her father, and the only thing that resembled her mother was her amber eyes. His hair had been the same as hers, but perhaps a little more golden, but it was naturally wavy like hers and he'd always kept it long as well, nearly to his shoulders. Woman had always flocked around him, but he'd never remarried or even dated. His heart belonged to her mother, and no one had ever had a snowballs chance in hell of acquiring it. Lia wouldn't lie and say she disliked that. Her father had given her his complete and undivided attention her whole life, she'd been the apple of his eye and he'd often point out that Lia was the only reason he hadn't just faded away after her mother died. Still, Lia thought it was a bit strange that he'd never even though about remarriage. She could understand it though, for the most part. She imagined she'd feel similarly if something similar were to happen to her. She chuckled humorlessly at herself. Lia never did anything by halves…including grief.

Lia took stock of her malnourished body and sighed at herself. At 5"7 she was a little taller than average, and always had been as well as lean. She was carful about what she put into her body, food was fuel in her mind and she only ate what made it work the best. She wasn't picky at all if the food was healthy. Her body was nowhere near the shape it used to be, she was too thin now, almost skeletal and definitely sickly looking. It would be a while before she got back to her normal appearance. She sighed again, she just needed to take it one step at a time. With the towel still wrapped around her body, she went back to her pitch black room and switched on the light.

Her room was a mess, though normally she liked keeping things neat, lately she hadn't really cared. She had two shelves mounted on either side of the large window opposite her door that chronicled her Martial Arts career with trophies and ribbons and even a few awards from ballet recitals that she'd gotten when she was younger. There was also a large oak vanity that had belonged to her mother, a matching dresser and a double bed set comfortably beneath the window. It was a nice room, pleasant and calming as a bedroom should be, with pale grayish-blue walls and soft white carpet. She'd always thought of it as a sanctuary, but stepping back into after showering, it felt more like she was walking back inside a prison cell. Lia shook her head to gather herself, and tried to shove the dark thoughts in her head away. She just had to get clothes and the large camping backpack from her closet and then she could leave this room, hopefully for a long time.

Mrs. Weber had told her to dress warm, but Lia's body temperature ran a little hotter than most and she didn't mind cold weather in the slightest. Still, it would be wise to take the woman's word. Lia sifted through her dresser and found a black thermal, and a pair of thick black leggings, and put them on over a pink sports bra and matching boyshorts. Strictly speaking she probably could've forgone the bra, having never been big chested, but she figured in the end that another layer wouldn't hurt. She checked her reflection in the mirror quickly and sneered at what she saw. Her clothes were too loose, her bones too prominent and her muscles practically shrunken. She huffed, it would take a lot of work to get her body to a healthy state again. She turned away, trying to put those thought out of her head as she quickly french braided her wet hair.

She opened her closet door and felt the familiar shell of ice resurface over her heart at seeing the old but well cared for camping pack resting on the floor inside. She couldn't even begin to count how many times she'd gone camping with her father, at least two weekends every month and non-stop during summer and winter breaks as a child. She'd practically slept in a tent more times than in her own house.

Her father had loved Thoreau and hated the city with a visceral passion, he said it had a way of turning people into either zombies or scavenging animals. Lia couldn't be sure if that sentiment was naturally her own, or if her father had ingrained that philosophy in her, but she felt the same way about city life. Smog and concrete and too many people in one area, she hated it. She hated not knowing where her food came from, or how the meat she ate had been treated before it was slaughtered. She preferred getting her own food, hunting, foraging or growing it herself…but that just wasn't possible where she lived. That's one of the many reasons she'd loved camping so much. She felt best when she was outside, in a forrest, near mountains or beside rivers. She loved being surrounded by growing things, where the stars weren't dimmed by light pollution and things seemed to have a different pace. Aside from Martial Arts, nature was the only other thing that cleared Lia's mind, and she found that it was the only place she could be still and untroubled. She almost smiled to herself, thinking that she might soon be back someplace like that.

She carefully laid out all the things she'd need on the floor in her living room, two changes of clothes, a first aid kit, enough trail mix and protein bars for a week, a large self filtering water bottle, and other camping sundries like small eating and cook utensils and flint. She filled up her pack, ticking off the checklist in her head until the pack was full. She tied her zero degree sleeping bag to the bottom and stood up. She looked down at the pack thoughtfully, knowing she was forgetting something. She snapped her fingers as she remembered, jogged into the garage, and saw her crossbow mounted on the wall. Her father had preferred a rifle when hunting, but Lia had never liked it, so on her thirteenth birthday, her father had gotten her the dark grey crossbow. It had been difficult to load and carry at first, due to the weight and tension of the string, but she'd been diligent about practicing and soon got the hang of it. She only used it to hunt small game like rabbits and birds when she went camping, but her father had told her it could also be used if she came across something more dangerous in the woods, she'd never had to use it in self-defense though.

She unhooked it from the mount and held it for a moment as if trying to remember how it felt in her hands. It made her sad, but it was a new kind of sadness that she hadn't yet felt. It was deeper, falling into her heart like a heavy stone. Everything she did now was a first, the first time doing all of this alone, without her father. That thought made her eyes sting. She reached under the neckline of her shirt and pulled out the chain with her mother's wedding ring…that now held her father's. She stroked the bands, and tried to swallow dow her tears to no affect. Her mother's was platinum with an impressive teardrop diamond solitary, and her father's was matching except instead of a single large diamond, two small ones were inlaid into the band side by side. For the first time since her father's death, Lia felt a little comfort in holding the two rings, they were like little pieces of them left behind just for her.

She stuffed the chain back into the neckline of her black thermal and shouldered the crossbow before walking into the house to look for a box of tissues to blow her nose. The moment she walked into the house, however, she heard the doorbell ring. She checked the microwave clock and noted that it was a little after three in the afternoon, marveling slightly at how time had seemed to pass more quickly now that she had a goal in mind. She roughly wiped her nose on the long sleeve of her shirt, and walked purposefully to the front door. She opened it, this time with a small smile on her face.

"Hello, Lia…my but you look different." Mrs. Weber said. "Bit like an assassin, if you don't mind me saying." She said a little teasingly. Lia looked down at herself, all in black with her crossbow on her shoulder and her long pale hair in a french braid.

"Yeah…guess so." Lia nodded seriously, thinking perhaps she should change into something that looked a little less threatening. Mrs. Weber laughed as Lia moved aside to let her in.

"I meant it in a good way, you'll need that look where you're going." The woman replied with a wry smile.

"Huh?" Lia uttered, narrowing her eyes as she caught the weird phrasing.

"I'll make this brief, seeing as you seem to be shuffling like a horse at a racetrack." Mrs. Weber said, ignoring Lia's confusion with a small smile as she walked into the kitchen where Lia's things were set to go at the dinner table. "There are three things you need to know…first, always keep one of your parents rings on you at. all. times. No exception." She said very intensely, causing Lia to furrow her brows and think perhaps this woman was crazier than Lia'd given her credit for…What was she saying? How did she even know about her parents rings, and why was that important? Lia wondered, but kept her mouth firmly shut and waited. Mrs. Weber's countenance changed abruptly and she looked up at the girl with a mischievous smile. "Second, the poor thing's been waiting a long time for you, so you be sweet to him." She said with a playful sternness wagging her finger at the girl. Lia was beginning to reconsider everything, this woman was definitely crazy. "Lastly, don't be too hard on the other one either, he's much like the forrest he was born in…wild but giving…he's been waiting for you too…" Mrs. Weber laughed brightly. "…though in a much different capacity." She said knowingly.

"What are…" Lia started before Mrs. Weber held up her hand for the girl's silence. Something in the hold woman's movements spoke of an authority Lia had been conditioned to respond to from her martial arts training. It was ingrained in her to shut up when a higher rank was speaking.

"You'll find out soon enough, Lia…just relax for a few minutes." The old woman said, a little impatiently. Lia's amber eyes flashed, and she bit her tongue to keep from answering the woman back. This woman was speaking in riddles and she just expected Lia to accept it? It was infuriating. Mrs. Weber raised her eyebrows at Lia, perhaps reading the fire in her eyes, then smiled wryly. "That's a scary look there, girl…but someone taught you discipline and mastery of yourself." Mrs. Weber said appreciatively, followed by an honestly bright laugh. "Lord, that's gonna go down the drain in no time flat…this'll be fun." The old woman said happily. Lia clenched her fist and reminded herself that punching an old woman wasn't ethical. Mrs. Weber patted Lia on the shoulder. "It's alright, dear, loosen up a bit, eh?" She said calmly. Lia's nose twitched in agitation. Mrs. Weber looked her up and down and made clicking noise with her tongue thoughtfully. "You'll do fine, now pick up your pack, chop chop." Mrs. Weber said briskly, gesturing to Lia's pack.

Something was off, Lia was sure of it, and her instinct said run. This woman was nothing but trouble, but for some strange reason she Lia also found herself curious to the point where she couldn't resist the old woman's orders. Lia paused.

"To be or not to be…That _is_ the question." She muttered to herself…No! She was done wondering what to do, she wasn't a Hamlet, she didn't sit and ponder, she took action for better or worse, she sighed. "Just like my stupid namesake…" She finished her thought aloud. Ophelia in Hamlet had made a call, she'd decided not to be, but Lia would not be that weak. "Fine!" She growled, roughly picking up her pack and hoisting it onto her shoulder. "I don't know what the hell this is, but I'm in…I'm done being a goddamn Hamlet!" She insisted, striding over to stand in front of the woman. Besides, how bad could it possibly be? It was just a camping trip to clear her head and try to heal herself.

"Do I know how to pick 'em?" Mrs. Weber asked herself rhetorically with self satisfaction. "Ok, dear last thing and then you'll be on your merry way…Don't be angry with your parents when you find out, they did it for you." The old woman said kindly. At those word Lia met her limit.

"I'm gonna be honest, ma'am, I don't understand what you're talking about and it's starting to make me feel like you're trying to drag me down to you're level of crazy." Lia said tonelessly. "What could my parents have done that would make me angry, and why does that matter right now?" Lia asked imploringly, as if she could just plead with the woman to actually make sense. Mrs. Weber only offered her a soft smile.

"Truth is given in it's own time, not when we demand it to reveal itself." The old woman replied sagely. Lia was about to argue, when she was struck again with that authoritative look from Mrs. Weber. "Pick up the pin, Lia… the one I gave you." She said, pointing to the table where the pin lay, unmoved. Lia went to get it but pulled her hand back at the last moment and turned to look at Mrs. Weber.

"First tell me why." Lia said, trying to keep her tone respectful.

"Are you frightened of it?" The woman asked. Lia's amber eyes flashed again, and she felt irritation bubble in her chest.

"I'm not afraid…I'm curious." Lia said, trying now to sound calm. Mrs. Weber chuckled, and Lia was beginning to think that woman's laugh was the most annoying one in all of creation.

"Is that so? Why don't you prove it." Mrs. Weber goaded. Lia had never been the sort of person to back down from a dare, and it had gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion…This time was no different. Even as she acknowledged her own stupidity, she could nothing to combat it.

"If that's not a metaphor for the human condition…" she muttered as she fixed her face into a firm line, and strutted over to the table. Anywhere, anything was better than what she had and where she was, so without really contemplating her own actions, she reached her hand out and picked up the pin.


	2. Disoriented

**Thanks to the first five followers! Glad you guys deem this story follow worthy! I'm a woman of my word, so here's the next chapter fresh off my hard drive. Another thing I'd like to let y'all know about this story is that I try to remain true to character personalities, and avoid making them too ooc. That being said, these lotr character's are perhaps a bit sassier than you remember, but hey, what's a character without a little extra sass? (btw, I can't wait to start writing Thranduil, oh lord, help us...so much cannon sass to work with there). Anyway, on with the show, and don't forget to review, it's the easiest way to get me to update faster.**

 **To yasminasfeir1, Katt8500, and Imamc: Thank you so much for reviewing, and I'm glad you all liked the first chapter! You three are sweeties, and I am at your service (kinda channeled Black Butler a bit there, but oh well.) I hope y'all have fun reading chapter 2!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Lord of the Rings, my proofreading skills are nonexistent, and this plot is gonna be fluffy as hell...you have been warned.**

 **P.S. Elvish will be in italics because I'm far too lazy to translate. Sindarin is the default, except when Glorfindel is speaking then it'll be Quenya unless stated otherwise. Idk why y'all need to know that, but whatever, better to have more information than less, right?**

Chapter 2: Disoriented

Lia felt as though she was falling into a dense blackness. There was no up or down, and she flailed her arms and legs wildly as wind roared in her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, and wondered if this was it, this was how her life ended…and she suddenly had the realization, perhaps belatedly, that she desperately wanted to live. Living was most certainly better than dying, despite everything and no matter how much it hurt. She no sooner had that thought than she saw light from behind her eyelids, and she was thrown to the ground with a painful thud. Her heart was pounding against her ribcage so hard her entire body shook with each beat in the stillness that followed her fall. She kept her eyes shut as she tried to calm herself down from the panic that had been coursing through her body. Quickly the panic morphed into a visceral anger that flared up in her heart.

"What the fuck was…?!" She exclaimed shrilly, sitting up and opening her eyes, expecting to see the old woman above her, looking smug. Lia's voice died in her throat as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings. Instead of being on her kitchen floor, she was in the middle of a bright, sparse forrest, and she was sitting on a pile of fallen leaves. The sun was bright overhead, too bright, it burned her eyes and flooded her vision with its gold light. She shut her eyes and opened them again. Everything was blurry, she tried to focus and then everything turned much sharper, almost strangely so. She could see at least forty feet ahead of herself and make out distinct black markings on the white bark of the thin trees that lay ahead of her. She shut her eyes again as her brain tried to process the overly sharpness of her vision. It was making her feel dizzy and disoriented.

She groaned and moved her legs, making herself jolt at the sound of the crunching leaves beneath them. The sound was too loud. Everything was too loud, too bright and too sharp. She clutched her head and felt her stomach roll. She managed to keep the meager amount of food she had in her stomach down with some slow, steady breathing. When she was certain her food wouldn't come back up, she opened her eyes once again. She was certainly in a forrest, though she didn't recognize it at all. The trees looked like birches, but she wasn't confident that that was what they were. They were spaced far apart from each other, and the sunlight blinked through their leaves in the faint breeze. She took a deep breath in through her nose experimentally. She was not in California, she was sure of that, she knew every forrest in the state, having been in every one of them multiple times. She couldn't smell the saltiness of the sea either, so she knew she must be at least 40 miles from any coast.

"That bitch must've drugged me and dropped me someplace." Lia growled out loud. She was all for adventure, but this was a little extreme even for her. She should've listened to her instinct to run, that old woman was nothing but trouble. Not feeling as dizzy from her heightened vision any longer, she stood up and felt a little comforted to feel the weight of her pack and cross bow still on her shoulders. At least she'd be able to survive until she found someone to help her figure out where the hell she was. There was no use staying put she figured, so she adjusted her pack and un-shouldered her crossbow to be safe. She looked upwards, it was about four in the afternoon judging by the sun's western bent, that gave her a good three hours of sunlight left, provided she was still in the western hemisphere. The first thing to search for was a water source, hopefully a river, then she could just follow it South which was bound to lead her to people eventually. She took out the compass and decided heading North was the safest bet, search for the high ground and try to get the lay of the land.

The compass's red arrow spun a moment before deciding on it's direction and Lia followed it's line. The terrain was level as she walked, and it seemed to be a worn path, which gave her hope that she was perhaps in a nation forrest or something. She figured she'd be able to clear ten miles an hour if she walked moderately paced, she didn't want to expel too much energy too fast. Besides, the weather was nice, with only the faintest chill in the air…She stopped short and surveyed the trees around her. Why did the trees still have leaves? It was February, their branches should've been bare with possible green buds beginning to form, but judging by the orange and red leaves still on them and the fallen ones scattered at her feet, it looked like early Autumn.

"That can't be right…" She muttered to herself. She felt disoriented again, maybe she wasn't in the western hemisphere. "Where the hell am I?" She whispered to herself. Now that she was paying closer attention, the air felt…strange, as if it was simultaneously crisp and heavy, and this forrest was too still. There was no rustle of animals, no birdsong and even the breeze seemed careful of disturbing the trees. She cocked her ear upward and strained…there was a sound. A weird humming or ringing, like faint chimes or bells echoing from far away. It wasn't unpleasant, but it made Lia wonder if she was perhaps hearing things. Mrs. Weber had definitely slipped her something that was messing with her senses, though for life of her, she couldn't figure out how that old nut had pulled it off.

Lia gasped as another sound made itself known to her, a rushing that promised of running water near by, a large river by the deepness of the sound. Finally a good sign, she thought to herself and followed her ears towards the rushing.

She was confused by the time it took for her to reach the river, she'd heard it twenty minutes ago, she should've been much closer to it than she was. The brush of the forrest gave way to a large canyon that almost seemed cathedral-like, as if the rock had been cut strategically. She peered over the sheer cliff face that plummeted to the roaring river at least several hundred feet below and saw a clear path on the eastern cliff face. This gave her hope that she was, in fact, in a national forrest, and she'd come across someone. She scanned the range around her, and noticed that the path started below the ledge she was standing on. It was about ten feet down, hypothetically she could climb, but carrying her bow and pack, her weight distribution would be wobbly, and she didn't have a desire to lose her footing and fall.

"Everything's gotta be difficult, huh?" She muttered to herself bitterly as she began skirting the cliff edge, searching for an way down. She heard something out of place a moment later, and cocked her ear towards it. Voices…those were definitely voices. She felt her heart leap inside of her, this was good, maybe whoever it was could help her figure out where she was.

"Hello?!" She called out, her voice loud enough to echo off the canyon. "Is anyone there?!" She shouted. There was a long pause where Lia strained her ears, listening hopefully for a reply.

"Hello?" A female voice called back.

"Who goes?" Another male voice asked.

"Reveal yourself." Called another.

"Hi! Oh, thank god, where are you?" Lia called out as her heart jumped with excitement at having found someone.

"We are Eastward." The woman replied, promptly followed by an appalled yip, and a short scuffle.

"Who are you? What business have you in these woods?" The male voice resurfaced, sounding suspicious.

"I'm sorry if I'm trespassing, but I've had a hell of a day and I'm very lost." Lia answered, jogging towards the voices until she saw them up ahead. There were three figures, all very tall and slender. Lia thought perhaps her eyes were messing with her again until they turned towards her as they heard her approach…then she was certain her eyes were playing tricks on her. They were dressed so strangely to be in a forrest. The two men were identical, and clearly twins, wearing gold and orange tunics with pale grey leggings. The woman was wearing a long, heavy looking midnight blue dress. That, however, was not what made Lia think she was seeing things. They were uncommonly beautiful, with pale luminous skin, and long, dark hair. The two men marched towards her stiffly, stepping in front of the woman protectively, each one having a hand on a long, curving sword fastened at the hip. Lia took a step back.

"What is your name and business?" One of the men asked her, close enough that he didn't need to raise his voice, but far enough that made it clear to Lia that he was not comfortable with her presence. Lia promptly held up her arms, trying to make her crossbow look as non-threatening as possible.

"Sorry, I was just hiking…well it's a long story. I don't really know where I am. Do you three think you could help me out?" She asked, feeling a little timid in front of such beautiful people, who also seemed to be a little hostile.

 _"She speaks strangely, and her clothing is revealing."_ The man on the right said in a flowing language that Lia didn't recognize.

 _"Aye, but she has a warrior's build, and she carries a crossbow akin to those of the enemy's construction. Do you think she's lying?"_ The man's twin replied. Lia was enraptured by the sounds coming from their mouths, though she hadn't the slightest idea of what they were saying. She vaguely realized she should have been irritated that they seemed to be talking about her in a language she couldn't understand, but the sound of the language was too damn pretty for her to find the will to care.

 _"_ _Feel that, Elladan, Elrohir. This child had no foul feeling…she is not lying. Strange though she seems, I sense no threat."_ The woman said, stepping gracefully in front of the two men and walking closer. Lia stared up at the woman, which was a novelty for her, being taller than average, she was used to looking down. The woman was gorgeous, unearthly almost, with a faint pink glow showing on her cheeks, deep sparkling blue eyes, and raven hair the fell down to the small of her back in soft waves. Her face was delicate and soft, and her body…Lia could get all the plastic surgery known to mankind and never have a body as beautifully curved.

"My name is Arwen, child, what is your's?" The woman asked with a kind smile that Lia found herself returning. Lia dropped her defensive posture and held out her hand to indicated she was friendly.

"I'm Lia, nice to…" Lia paused her sentence and cocked her head to one side curiously. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Lia asked, thinking she'd heard wrong and leaning with her ear towards the woman as if that would allow her to hear better.

"My name is Arwen, Evenstar to my people." The woman replied, furrowing her perfectly arched, dark brows.

"Arwen…Oh!" Lia exclaimed with a laugh, waving her hand in front of her face, indicating that the woman should just ignore Lia's slowness. "You must be cosplaying or something, is there like a convention around here?" She asked, feeling silly. The frown on the woman's face deepened, making Lia feel nervous.

"I don't understand." Arwen said. Lia blinked as her mind started whirling rapidly, trying to figure out what was going on. At a record pace, she hypothesized four possible options for what was happening. First, this woman was a supermodel/cosplayer who happened to be in the woods where Lia had been dropped, and was also thoroughly committed to her role. Second, Lia was tripping balls and this was all some incredibly vivid hallucination. Third, Lia was having a psychotic episode of some kind brought on by stress and grief. Fourth, she was actually in Middle-Earth.

"Can I ask you a quick question?" Lia asked, suddenly clinical, she had to get to the truth and quickly. The last hypothesis was actually the only one Lia could effectively test, as the other's had some fatal logical conundrum that couldn't be tested until she unlocked the secret of human consciousness and reality as a whole, besides it was too damn late in the day to get a jump on such a massive philosophical idea. Arwen nodded, with her pretty face looking concerned at Lia's chalky one. "Where am I?" Lia asked, her voice full of false calm. Arwen blinked, taken aback by a question that must have seemed obvious to her.

"You're in Eriador, near Imaldris…" Arwen replied slowly.

"I-Imaldris?" Lia asked, her heart rate increasing.

"Rivendell, in the common tongue." Arwen nodded, looking even more worried. Lia just stared at the woman who was far too lovely to be human…was that because she was an elf? Lia nodded and clutched her head as the world began spinning around her, and a black tunnel began forming in her vision.

"'Kay, I'm not 100% on this, because it's never actually happened to me, but I'm relatively certain that I'm going to faint…" Lia said deadpanned, her voice growing farther away until everything went black.

* * *

Arwen gasped and knelt down next to the fallen girl. She'd clearly been troubled by something, so much so that she'd fainted.

 _"Help me carry her to the healing quarters, she's ill."_ Arwen called to her brothers a she removed the girl's pack and bow from her person. Arwen placed a hand on the girl's ghostly face, it was cool and she didn't seem to have a fever. Arwen turned to see her brother's had made no move to come forward. _"Before Autumn preferably…"_ She said, somehow managing to sound smooth and impatient at the same time. Her brother's were well acquainted with that tone, and they decided it was better to listen to their older sister. Besides, although they were still curious about the girl, and did feel slight misgivings, Arwen had said the girl had no foul feeling. Generally speaking, Arwen was gifted at detecting such things, and they trusted their sister's word. The two elves walked forward and knelt down as well in front of the unconscious girl. Elrohir looked at his brother.

 _"_ _She has a warrior's build, and I don't fancy being the one holding her should she awake, she might attack out of instinct."_ Elrohir said, shaking his head pointedly.

 _"So you're implying I'm the one who must carry her? I fail to understand your logic, brother."_ Elladan replied crisply. Arwen gave a long suffering sigh at her brothers' bickering.

 _"_ _I'm the clever one, you're the strong one, thus you should be the one to carry her."_ Elrohir said smugly, waving his hand towards his brother as wafting responsibility away from himself. Elladan's eye twitched.

 _"We're identical…idiot."_ Elladan said with subtle disbelief at his twin's stupidity.

 _"_ _Hush the both of you. Elladan, carry the girl. Elrohir, carry her belongings. I'll go ahead and prepare a place in the healing halls."_ Arwen said, fed up as she stood gracefully. _"Or is that plan too complex for either of you to manage?"_ She asked, clearly annoyed with them as she looked back over her shoulder. Having given her orders, she quickly walked down the bend in the passage the led towards the Last Homely House, picking up the long hem of her skirt and practically jogging out of sight. Elladan sighed and stooped to lift the girl into his arms, with one beneath her knees and the other supporting her shoulders. Elrohir gave his brother a smug look as he stooped to pick up her belongings, and together the brother set themselves back down the path to the heart of Imaldris.

 _"Do you not find this strange, Elrohir? Mere days after that halflings arrive, so does this girl?"_ Elladan said, thoughtfully considering the girls face resting against his shoulder.

 _"Aye, I believe Arwen, I do not sense any evil from her, but I do think this is no coincidence…there are other matters at work."_ Elrohir nodded, also watching the girl's sleeping face as he and his brother walked.

 _"Look at her muscles, and her skin. Both indicate combat training as well as frequent outdoor excursions…Do you know any kingdoms of men that train woman in combat? I can think of none."_ Elladan asked his brother. Elrohir though for a moment.

 _"Rohanic women do don't they?"_ He answered. Elladan shook his head.

 _"Only the shield-maidens, and even then only for the sake of tradition. But this girl's coloring is not reminiscent of Rohanic peoples…brother, does she not look like one of the Noldor?"_ Elladan asked hesitantly.

 _"_ _Her hair color is too fair, she'd clearly not elven…or…wait…"_ Elrohir paused, stepping closer to his brother as they walked. _"I do detect her Feä, though it is weak, could she be half-elven?"_

Elladan nodded at his brother.

 _"I felt it too, and if she were a decedent of the House of Finarfin…that would explain her hair…Lord Glorfindel would know if she was. Her face seems foreign, though she does have the Finarfin hair, and see her mouth and cheeks…They do resemble Lord Glorfindel, do they not?"_ Elladan said.

 _"Let's not be quick to assumptions, I have an inkling she is half-elven, but this is all so strange…what would a descendent of The House of The Golden Flower be doing in our woods? Lord Glorfindel has no kin that I've ever seen…he lost them to Gondolin's ruin."_ Elrohir said, furrowing his brows.

" _The reasoning is beyond my sight…_ " Elladan confirmed, shaking his head in confusion.

* * *

Lia was comfortable, so very comfortable and she hadn't felt that way in a long time. She smiled as she heard a familiar voice speaking low and steady. It had all been a dream, and she was finally waking up to the sound of her father's voice.

"Dad?" She mumbled, opening her bleary eyes. His image was blurred as he stood at the foot of her bed, but she could tell it was him, tall and lean with long golden hair. She blinked, there was someone beside him, another male figure, slightly shorter with long dark hair and stiff posture. She blinking again, his hair seemed too long, her father's hair had never reached his waist. Her eyes focused, and he came into sharper view, he was not her father…it hadn't been a dream. Her heart felt as though it had compressed, falling into itself, and too heavy to support its own weight.

"Hello, _losse._ How do you feel?" The stranger said, his smile kind and gentle. Lia didn't reply, he couldn't be her father, but he looked and sounded so much like him. His eye's were the same brilliant blue, as if his irises had too much pigment in them. His skin had a healthy sun kissed glow, and it was darker than the other man's. He wore a long deep gold gown that reached to his feet and opened at the hip to reveal white pants and matching golden boots. The material seemed almost to shimmer and ripple like sun rays in the meager candle light that surrounded him. There was something about him that was so familiar, yet she knew she'd never met this man before…He looked so much like her father, though perhaps a younger version, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties.

A sob escaped Lia's throat and she quickly covered her mouth to stifle it while turning away to hide her face in her shoulder, not understanding what was going on and completely unable to control her emotions. She heard the man's clothes rustle swiftly and she felt his weight as he sat on the edge of her bed.

"There, there, you're safe little one…please don't cry." He said, very carefully and tentatively reaching his arms out to her. Lia didn't fight him as his warm hands gently pulled her to his chest, one hand cradling the back of her head and the other around her shoulders. He sounded and felt too much like her father for Lia to fight him, she couldn't bare to. He smelled like sunflowers, and Lia found herself leaning into his warmth and clutching at the silky fabric of his gown as she silently shook from her tears. He stroked her hair, trying to calm her down. She broke away, her breath hitching, as she broke away and looked up at him.

"Who are you?" Lia asked, her voice small and confused as she stared up at him. The man smiled kindly at her again.

"That will take some explaining, _losse._ For now you may call me Glorfindel…or _Írima er_ , if you're feeling cheeky." He said with a playful wink, clearly trying to make her smile.

"Glorfindel?…" She said, testing the name…why did that sound familiar?

"Lord Glorfindel, do not tease her, she is clearly very troubled." The dark haired man chastised in a deep, smooth voice. Lia felt Glorfindel's arms clutch her a little closer.

"It has been nearly three millennia since I have met one of my kin, Lord Elrond, so please do not begrudge me my levity." Glorfindel happily, looking down at Lia with a bright smile.

"Your levity is going to thrust the poor thing back into unconsciousness. Why not try for a little temperance, eh?" Elrond suggested evenly. Lia abruptly scrambled out of bed, feeling confined and very confused. She scanned the room around her, it looked like an old fashion hospital with two long rows of small beds laying opposite each other, and small bedside cabinets laying to the left of each one. Large open windows lined the high walls, though most of the sunlight was dimmed by the thick burgundy curtains in front of them. Everything looked so strange and old, but well cared for…it was almost as if she had stepped back in time. The room was entirely empty except for herself and the two tall men. The one who looked like her father gave her a very worried look, and the dark haired man just considered her with a cool curiosity.

"What's going on? Where am I?" She asked, and found her voice was still thick and raw from her crying moments ago.

"Peace, child…We will answer all your questions, but first you must calm yourself." The dark haired man said calmingly, stepping closer to her and holding his hands lightly out as if trying to soothe a nervous horse. He had a silver headdress that sat around his forehead, and he had a calm but firm tone. He had an air of authority around him that Lia recognized immediately, this was clearly the man in charge. Lia straightened her posture, and leveled her head, trying to get a hold of herself.

"Yes, sir…I'm sorry." Lia said, swallowing down her tears. The dark haired man's face softened, and he gave her a pleased smile.

"No need to apologize, you've had a trying episode as I understand it…If you can, would you please try to explain who you are and why you're here?" Elrond asked, speaking more gently to her than he had to Glorfindel. Lia didn't know either of these people, but she didn't sense that they would do her any harm…they seemed reasonable enough. Lia nodded and swallowed and in doing so, realized her throat was raw and dry. She tried to clear it.

"Yes, sir…I will, but first, could I get a glass of water?" Lia asked formally, directing her question towards the dark haired man instead of the one who looked so similar to her father. She didn't want to risk offending him, and she wanted him to know that she understood the rank here. The dark haired man nodded at the golden haired man who promptly jumped up, looking thrilled that Lia had requested something, and he wasted no time in pouring her a glass of water from the ornate, silver pitcher from the bedside cabinet. Lia eyed him carefully, not sure what made him so accommodating, and feeling herself growing a little suspicious of his actions.

"Thank you." She said with a nod as he handed her a glass of water with a warm smile. He certainly smiled a lot, though he didn't know her from Adam. She gulped down the water in three large swallows, and noted that the water tasted vaguely of citrus. "Wow…" She said mildly, despite her confusion, staring at the empty glass in her hand. "That could honestly be the best glass of water I've ever had, and I've literally been to Greenland to drink from melting glaciers." She said, nodding appreciatively.

"Glaciers?" Glorfindel asked, cocking his head to one side curiously. Lia furrowed her brows at him.

"Yeah, you know they're like giant…uh…ice cubes." Lia said, realizing abruptly that she did not possess the power of description. Glorfindel seemed fascinated though, and he nodded his understanding. He looked like her father, but this man's personality seemed much more youthful and less serious.

"Perhaps we should start with your name?" Elrond said, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

"Right, sorry, sir. My name is Ophelia Greene, but I prefer to be called Lia. I'll be 22 in March, and I have a bachelors in Criminal Justice from USC with a concentration in Martial Arts and non-lethal policing methods. I live in Southern California with my…" Lia stopped herself and swallowed. "I used to live in Southern California with my dad, but he died last December." She recited, ignoring the tightness in her throat and trying to sound clinical. Glorfindel gave her a sympathetic look that she didn't like.

"How did you get here, Lia?" Elrond asked. Lia thought for a moment.

"I'm still not entirely sure where _here_ is, sir." She answered tentatively. Elrond nodded.

"You're in Rivendell, an elven city to the west of the Misty Mountains in Middle-Earth." The man explained. Lia swallowed again…her brain was having a great deal of trouble keeping up. Rivendell? Middle-Earth? Elven?

"That's impossible…" Lia whispered, feeling her legs go numb and wobbly. Mrs. Weber had said so many strange things, had this been the meaning of all her riddles? If so then why? Why was she here at all? There had to be a reason for it. "I'm in Middle-Earth?" Lia said daring to say it aloud.

"Do you know of Middle-Earth?" Elrond asked, stepping closer to her and sounding interested. She looked up at him and nodded. "What do you know?" He asked, a little more intensely than before. Lia was starting to feel dizzy, and she was beginning to find it difficult to breathe.

"I need some air…" Lia said, suddenly realizing that her breathing and heart rate were too fast and she was in danger of passing out again.

"Of course…Follow me." Glorfindel said. Lia was a bit wary of him for being so friendly so quickly, but she was relatively certain he meant no harm. She nodded and followed him as he led her out of the dim hospital hall and out onto a large veranda. Lia sucked in a sharp breath as she stepped outside into the light.

The sun seemed to paint everything from the grey stone pillars around her to the distant cliff faces with a rich, golden light. She saw large waterfalls cascading in the far distance, and imagined she could even hear them roar. Autumn trees clung to the sides the the stone houses she could see far below, making it seem like the stone was living and growing along with the trees. She seemed to be on the highest tier of a household, that was too small to be called a castle but far too large to be just a mansion. Orange, brown and red leaves were still clinging to the tree branches in the courtyard below her, with only a few fallen to the intricately carved stone floor. The masonry of the house was more vivid and rich than anything she'd ever seen, it was almost like a strange forrest cathedral.

Lia felt something strike almost violently in her heart at the sight of the landscape beyond the house. It reminded her of the first time she'd seen El Capitan at Yosemite, how the pale rock had seemed too big, as if someone had just painted it against the sky…but this, she'd never seen a landscape to equal this. She wasn't sure why she was there, but this felt like that _something_ that she'd always been trying to find. Like a puzzle piece inside of her heart had just been found and had clicked into place…Something was still missing, but wherever she was this was a part of her, and some untapped, foreign piece of her knew it instinctually. She knew this place, and had always known it…it almost felt like home. She closed her eyes and felt the sun on her face, and inhaled the crisp air through her nose. Life was what she smelled, bubbling water and growing things. She might very well be insane she realized, but standing on the veranda and looking out and the golden landscape around her, she couldn't really find the will to care. If this was the reality her brain had conjured, she didn't mind. She felt herself smile effortlessly, a small secret smile.

"Okay…" She said with a nod. "I think I'm good."

"Let it never be said of the Last Homely House that it does not revitalize a weary spirit." Glorfindel said softly, staring out in the same direction as Lia. Lia looked over at him, he truly was beautiful, but now that she looked at him properly she saw his features were subtly different than her fathers. His face shape was more pointed and his jaw less square than her father's had been, and his eyes were wider, and full of a playful lightness. His skin, although tanned, didn't speak of any labor as her father's had. He looked over and raised and eyebrow teasingly as he caught her staring.

"Can you tell me something?" She asked softly.

"Something." He replied, with a curt nod. Lia blinked and almost snorted.

"Ok, found the wise ass." She muttered. "Why do you look so much like my father?" She asked, wondering whether the question was rhetorical or if she genuinely thought he knew. She watched his face carefully to ensure he didn't lie. Glorfindel smiled widely at her, his teeth almost sparkling.

"Your father was my uncle…Ashermir, of the House Finarfin, also called the House of the Golden Flower." He said. "Which means we are kin to one another…and I'm very pleased to meet you." He said kindly, and Lia caught a bit of a tremble in his voice. Lia was tired of being so confused, and this man wasn't helping matters.

"That's impossible…My dad's name was Asher Greene, he grew up in Oregon, he moved to California when he was 23 and met my mom in college. He was a professor of languages at the University of Southern Cal…He didn't even like fantasy novels!" She exclaimed. Glorfindel seemed taken aback by her strong reaction, but Lia didn't give a damn. Nothing was making sense and she was just getting going. Glorfindel walked towards her, his posture unthreatening as if he was about to attempt to calm her down. She held up her finger to him warningly. "You wait…Just wait a goddamn minute there." She said feistily, reaching for control even though she knew she had none. "I heard the word elves before, are you an elf? Are you an elf?!" Lia shouted. Glorfindel looked alarmed at concerned as she got angrier, he glanced at Elrond who seemed to be frozen as well. Lia snapped her fingers at Glorfindel impatiently. "Eyes here, pretty boy." She said in a clipped tone, as her amber eyes flared.

"A-aye, and so are…" He tried to speak.

"Ok, shut up…you're an elf, fine, whatever. I'm not an elf! I'm human, and so was my dad, you've got the wrong girl!" She insisted, she paused and turned away from Glorfindel, looking twitchy. He looked too much like her father not to be related to him. "You said my father was your uncle? So you're my cousin…but I'm not an elf! What the hell am I?!" She exclaimed, rounding on Glorfindel so fast, he looked a bit startled as she gripped his wrists tightly and shook him. "So there's like a story or something, right? Tell me what the hell happened!" She demanded of him roughly.

"Miss Lia, please calm yourself…you'll never get to the truth if you're too busy shouting to hear it." Elrond said firmly, crossing over to the slightly hysterical girl and prying her fingers off of Glorfindel's wrists. She ripped her hand away from Elrond's, and backed up into the stone railing that stopped her from falling off.

"I'm done being calm, say goodbye to it, it flew off like a goddamn robin in winter!" She shouted. "What is all this?! What's going on?!" She shrieked, gesturing around herself wildly.

"What is the meaning of this?!" She heard a stern female voice shout in the doorway leading back into the hospital hall. Lia's eye focused on Arwen, who was holding a basin of steaming water, and a small cloth. Lia felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest or just give up all together. Arwen looked angrily at the two men, accusing them with her dangerous looking eyes as her long dark hair flowed in the light breeze. "Half of Imaldris can hear her shouting, honestly, I leave her alone with you for five minutes. What did you two do?" She demanded of Glorfindel and Elrond. Both men looked like they'd rather not answer the woman back for fear that she might favor them with a swift dousing of water over their heads. Arwen glanced at Lia and her face softened, before thrusting the bowl and cloth at Elrond, and picking up the hem of her skirt to quickly glide over to where Lia was standing.

"Are you hungry, little one? Perhaps eating something would put the color back in your cheeks." Arwen suggested kindly, not waiting for Lia to answer before she linked their arms together. "Do not be bothered by those two, they are merely curious and do not realize that minds are _fragile_ and things must be revealed _slowly_." Arwen said pointedly, giving both men a look that indicated she would deal with them later. Lia felt a little better, Arwen seemed to recognize that what she need right then was normalcy. "What do you say about a trip to the kitchens? There's lemon tart and sweet cream that always makes me feel a little better about sorry situations." Arwen said pleasantly, smiling down at Lia as she gently guided her off of the veranda, leaving the two men there to look well chastised. Lia nodded jerkily, feeling very overwhelmed and disturbed, but this woman…person…elf was doing her some mental good with her calm voice and gentle nature. So she allowed the woman to lead her away, out of the hospital wing and down to only god knew where.


	3. Noldor

**Hello everyone, thanks so much for the follows and the reviews, they brighten my day like you wouldn't believe. Here's the new chapter, and I hope y'all are entertained by it. Be sure to leave a review telling me whatcha think!**

 **Yasminasfeir1: I'm so happy you enjoyed the chapter, and I'm glad you liked the whole Glorfindel thing. I personally think he's a facinating character who doesn't get enough screen (or page) time.**

 **Imamc: Hey hon, I'm glad you thought the chapter was funny, fyi, the missing category on this story is humor, so there'll probably be a little more ooc-ness. I actually knew that the twins were older than Arwen, but my logic for making her the older one has to do with the kind of character I want her to be, a little more maternal, and that's kinda hard to believe from the baby of the family if you get me. That being said, I absolutely love it when I know the readers are paying attention like you, so do not hesitate to mention any other inconsistencies you see. I'll either explain myself, or correct myself, either way it's helpful to me.**

 **Phox: Well I certainly wouldn't mind uploading more. Please enjoy.**

 **Woman of Letters: I'm not sure if you intended to give me an Eagles reference by calling Mrs. Weber the 'witchy woman', but any music reference is the quickest way to my heart lol. Sweetheart, you also get kudos for recognizing my subtle homage to A Wrinkle in Time, definitely took some inspiration from there.**

 **Lacrea Moonlight: I TRY SO HARD. I CAN'T RISE ABOVE IT. *clears throat* Sorry, 'bout that, I can't fight a Tim McGraw song...**

 **WickedGreene13: Thanks so much for your very sweet review! I'm glad Lia seems relatable and interesting, I worry about that, OC's are so difficult to get right, so honestly, thanks for saying that!**

 **Disclaimer: Ah, the eternal shout into the void that I do not own anything. Also, the ever present 'don't hate me because I suck at proof reading' plea.**

Chapter 3: Noldor

"Thank you." Lia said a little shyly, as Arwen walked her down the long open halls. She felt Arwen pat her hand.

"No need for thanks, little one." She answered gently. Lia might've smiled in thanks if her brain hadn't been so full of unanswered questions. "Set your troubles aside for a while, I assure you, they'll be there when you're ready to face them." Arwen said, expertly discerning the look on Lia's face. This woman…or elf, had such a gentle way about her, and Lia found herself wanting to follow her suggestion. Though Lia wasn't wise herself, she liked to think she knew wisdom when she heard it. This time Lia did smile up at Arwen.

"You're very kind, ma'am. Thank you for that, I felt like my brain was going to vaporize before you came in…Can I ask who those two people are exactly, if you don't mind?" Lia asked, not quite comfortable enough to drop her politeness, but still wanting to be friendly. Arwen smiled down at Lia, still leading her deeper into the massive household, past stunningly crafted grey stone pillars, arches, and windows.

"You needn't be so formal with me, little one. I can tell we shall be friends. To answer your question: The dark haired ellon is my father, Lord Elrond, he presides over Rivendell. Lord Glorfindel is the other, he is older even than the Lady of Light, though to meet him one would not know just how many ages he has spent in Arda. He believes you are of his house, and one of his kin, so do not be surprised if he is overly comfortable with you…It has been a long count of years since he has met one of his own house." Arwen said with a smile curving her lips. Lia nodded slowly.

"I…I have a confession." Lia said hesitantly. Arwen raised an eyebrow at her in polite inquiry and nodded for the girl to speak. "I already know who you and your father are…I know some other people too." Lia said. Arwen remained silent, allowing Lia to collect her thoughts. "I'm not from here, but where I _am_ from, this place…this world isn't real. It's just a story. I don't know why I'm here, but I can't help but think it's for a reason…things like this don't just happen." Lia said, unconsciously keeping her voice low as if that would make her sound less crazy. She glanced up at Arwen, and was relieved to see that instead of shock and disbelief, her face held interest and thoughtfulness.

"I'm certain you're here for a reason. Destiny often finds us when we least expect it, though it might have found you a little abruptly." Arwen said. Lia snorted humorlessly.

"That's an understatement…I was just minding my own beeswax, rotting away in my house when this old lady came and gave me…" Lia stopped short in her mild rant, and looked at Arwen. "Did you find a hair pin with me? it was green and silver and looked kinda like one of the leaves of Lorien." Lia asked suddenly. She had the distinct feeling that the pin was important, after all, it was the thing that had transported her there in the first place.

"Oh, yes…it's with your other things, such a strange jewel, with a power I've never felt before…not unlike those rings around your neck." Arwen said, nodding at the girls chest where her parents rings were hanging. Lia furrowed her brows.

"Power?" She asked.

"They whisper to me…I have heard other such things, but these are quite singular." Arwen said, curiously staring at them. "They possess some kind of power. They sing, a very old song of good things…they rejoice and weep, as if they are two hearts eternally bound and breaking." Arwen said, looking enchanted as Lia held the rings in her palm. She strained her ears and focused, but she heard nothing coming from them.

"These were my parents wedding rings…" Lia said, her voice seeming a little heavier than before. Arwen nodded, with a somber look on her face.

"Love abides…even when the direct presence of love is lost, it has a way of leaving its imprint, even removed from the one who was giving it, as if it were as sentient as the giver, a living thing that grows and rises in the heart where it was first planted." Arwen said, and Lia recognized the distant sadness that dulled her dark blue eyes, though she felt no fondness for Arwen's words.

"Love may abide, but when the giver of it is removed, it turns into something else entirely…just an ache that follows you and keeps you in its shadow, and it maybe sentient and it may grow, but its sickly, and it infects the heart it's planted in." Lia retorted bitterly. Lia was under no illusion that love was a beautiful, docile thing. It had brought her joy, but she was at the point of questioning whether the pain she felt now was worth the joy she'd felt in the past. Maybe time would change her mind as everyone told her, but at the moment, love was nothing but a thicket of thorns wrapped around her heart. Lia glanced up at Arwen, fearing the look of her face, that it would be pity, but it wasn't. It was sad, but understanding.

"It can be that way at times." Arwen nodded. With nothing more than those words and a single look of empathy instead of sympathy, Lia realized that she wanted to be friends with Arwen. She tightened her grip on Arwen's arm, and felt that, perhaps, this was someone who understood what it was like to lose something that could never be regained.

Arwen led Lia deeper into the massive house, she was mostly silent unless someone happened to be passing by, then Arwen would say hello and introduce Lia quickly. Everyone Lia came across was kind, and curious about her, though Arwen mostly shielded her from questions, and Lia was grateful she didn't have to speak much. Lia caught the sent of freshly baking bread long before they finally reached the warmly lit kitchen. It was entirely empty, but she preferred that, she'd already seen and met too many people today. Arwen sat her down on a stool in front of the large stone prep table, and then proceeded to fix her a plate of the afore promised lemon tart.

Lia had never really liked sweets, even as a child, but her father..he'd had a sweet tooth that required him to go to the dentist twice a month just for maintenance. As a kid, she'd taken up baking, and she'd loved baking things for her father. So even though she didn't really have a taste for sweets, she knew a good one when it was served to her. The small round tart Arwen placed in front of her was so pretty, almost too pretty to eat with perfectly crimped golden pastry holding a succulent clear lemon custard and a dollop of whipped cream. She took a large bite, and was unable to stop the moan that came out of her throat.

"This is amazing." Lia said sincerely, her mouth full as she looked up at Arwen. The lady giggled, and moved to retrieve a napkin.

"I'm glad you like it…" She said. "…but you've got a bit of cream on your nose." She said handing Lia the white cloth. Lia swallowed and took the napkin sheepishly.

"Sorry, table manner's aren't one of my strong points." Lia said, hoping she wasn't causing offense. Arwen smiled.

"No matter when no one's to see." Arwen said with a small smile. Lia found it easy to smile in Arwen's company, she had imagined elves to be more distant and maybe some were, but thus far Lia had only been treated with kindness by these people. With her stomach full of lemon tart she suddenly felt sorry for the way she'd acted earlier. Sure, it was a stressful situation and she had handled it perhaps a bit better than some would, but still…They'd cared for her when she'd fainted, comforted her when cried, and fed her the best pastry she'd ever had in her life. Lia sighed at herself, her temper was her worst enemy. She'd taken ballet for five years, Karate for 13 and she still couldn't exercise an ounce of control over her temper. She had to figure out a way to make it up to them, starting with an apology. She was about to begin with her sorry's when Arwen voice snapped her out of her internal stewing.

"Lia, may I ask you a question?" the lady asked, suddenly much more serious.

"Yeah, of course." Lia answered.

"Do…do you have the gift of foresight?" Arwen asked tentatively. "Earlier you said that where you're from, this world is just a story…do you know the story?" She asked. Lia swallowed. Would anything change if characters in a story knew how the story would end? would they fight as hard? Lia didn't know, maybe they wouldn't, but she didn't want to lie.

"Yeah…yeah I know the story, but not all of it." Lia said, keeping her eyes down.

"I won't ask how it ends, I have this feeling it wouldn't be wise…I was merely curious." Arwen said. Lia nodded. She wasn't sure, but she had the feeling that she shouldn't screw with things, leave well enough alone, that was the smart thing to do.

" _Losse_ , I've found you!" A familiar voice exclaimed happily, jolting Lia out of her thoughts. A blur of golden hair jogged towards towards her. Lia jumped from her seat and skittered back, away from the over friendly elf. He froze about five feet away from her looking hurt. "My apologies, have I been too forward?" He asked, his brilliantly blue eyes flickering with worry. Lia suddenly felt very sorry for the way she'd acted before and a moment ago. This man…elf was no threat, he seemed like the type of person that wouldn't pluck a flower for fear of hurting its feelings. Not only that, but he seemed very lonely, and Lia didn't like seeing that in anyone, especially someone who had been so kind to her. She closed the distance between them in two strides.

"No! Not at all, I'm just…very overwhelmed, and you look so much like him…my dad I mean, it's like seeing a ghost." She said, her voice feeling a little thick. She turned her face away from him for a moment, swallowing down her emotions. When she was certain her eyes wouldn't betray her by crying she lifted her face and gave him a small smile… _The poor thing's been waiting for you for a long time._ Mrs. Weber's words echoed in Lia's mind, was this the person Mrs. Weber had been talking about. Had he really been waiting for her? A warm, hopeful smile lit up Glorfindel's face, making it seem like he was almost a ray of sunlight, with his gold hair, tan skin, and sparkling smile.

"So you do not hate me?" He asked, crossing that last distance between them and grasping her hands with his own.

"Of course not!" She insisted, appalled that the idea had even occurred to him as she unconsciously gripped his hands back tighter. "This is all just so…fucking crazy." She said emphatically. Arwen gasped at Lia's language, and Glorfindel's eye went wide and shocked. "Oh…uhh…" She was about to hastily apologize for her thoughtless words when Glorfindel threw his head back and burst out laughing. Lia couldn't help herself, there was something about his laughter that was a little infectious and she found herself chuckling along with him.

"I don't believe I ever heard such a phrase come out of an elleth's mouth." He said pulling his hands away from her's to wipe his tearing eyes. Arwen gave a prim huff.

"Lord Glorfindel, do not encourage her!" Arwen said sternly with her hands on her hips.

"I would apologize for it, my Lady…but this is the first time I get to see _úrin losse_ laugh." He said, smiling down at Lia, looking down at her with affection. She held up her hands and took a step away from him.

"Ok, I get that you think I'm related to you…but I still don't know why." She said to Glorfindel. His smile shrunk, but it didn't entirely leave his face. "You said I was from the House of…" Lia waved her hand trying to remember the name.

"Finarfin." Glorfindel prompted with a sure nod.

"Right…" She replied slowly, not bothering to hide her disbelief. "…but how are you so sure of that? My father was human, and so was my mother…She died in childbirth, and my dad died from…a heart attack." She said, though the words were difficult to say. "They weren't immortal…" She finished heavily.

"I'm sorry to contradict you, but your father was most certainly my uncle, though your mother was one of the race of men." He answered her.

"Yeah, but how do you _know_?" She said impatiently. Glorfindel gave her a smile and pointed at her chest. Lia blinked then furrowed her eyebrows.

"You knew…by my boobs?" She asked, hesitantly.

Lia actually heard Arwen's palm slapping her forehead. Glorfindel tried and ultimately failed to stifle a chuckle.

"I cannot wait for you to meet everyone…you're absolutely delightful." He said sincerely, causing Lia to laugh at her brain's inability to filter her words. "Those rings around your neck…I remember them. Two rings made of mithril and adamant, forged by Clebrimbor at your father's behest in Gondolin before its ruin. Their worth is beyond value…" He replied, his tone uncharacteristically sober. Lia looked down at the rings hanging around her neck. "…and no other rings have been similarly made from a single ingot and stone to produce two rings…so it is only logical to assume that you are my cousin. Besides that…you have your fathers likeness, uncannily so…" He said with a smile and a shrug. Lia wanted to argue, but she couldn't find one that would explain the rings, and her father's apparent doppleganger. So she opted to take in the information, and allow her brain to process in silence. Considering how she'd acted earlier in the hospital wing, she thought she was taking this news pretty damn well…she hadn't shrieked or fainted or melted into a puddle of glowing biomaterial. She took another step away from Glorfindel, nodding her head as if everything was fine.

Lia put her hand on the top of her head and bowed it. The new information wasn't formulating properly in her mind, and it occurred to her that all the evidence in the world wouldn't convince her that she was half-elven. She looked up at Glorfindel, with his lovely tan skin and his waist length golden hair tucked behind his pointed ears. Her eyes went wide and she lifted her hand and traced the outline of her ear from the lobe to the subtly pointed tip that she was certain hadn't been there yesterday. A chill went through her body that seemed extremely inappropriate considering where she was and who she was with, like a heat had pooled deep in her stomach. She pulled her hand away very quickly as if burned, and she could feel a blush rising on her cheeks, down to her neck and across her nose. She looked up and saw that Glorfindel was once again fighting back a laugh, and Arwen looked a little pinker in the face than she had a moment ago and was pointedly avoiding Lia's eyes.

"The hell was that?" She asked in subtle alarm, holding her hands as far away from her body as if they had betrayed her in some way. Glorfindel leaned his head to one side and looked up, smiling as he tried to figure out how to explain.

"Eleven ears are very…well…" He said slowly. Lia looked in slight horror at him, fearing his final word. "… _Sensitive_." He settled on pointedly. Lia blinked in shock then buried her head in her hands and felt like she wanted to assume the fetal position and never speak another word ever again. She heard a chuckle. "There's no need to be so embarrassed, _losse_. One of the ways mate's express love for each other is by…"

"No! Stop! I don't want to know…let's move on, never speak of this again and just get on with our lives, please!" Lia begged, stopping Glorfindel from say anything else. Lia clutched her forehead, she could feel her brain begin to overexert itself with so many thoughts and questions that she was having trouble isolating one. All the questions about her mother and father, the rings around her neck, her ears that were now apparently erogenous zones. She didn't even know _when_ she was, she could be in Rivendell a hundred years before Frodo had even been born, she had no way of knowing. Lia shook herself roughly, then looked up at Glorfindel and Arwen.

"I need to go for a run or something." She said, feeling jittery as her mind overcrowded itself with questions and possible answers. "I can't think when I'm standing still." She said, shaking her head jerkily. Glorfindel nodded enthusiastically.

"I would be delighted to take you. Imaldris and the surrounding woods are easy to get lost in." He said, smiling hopefully. Lia would've preferred to go by herself, not only to be alone, but also because this man, although slender didn't seem like the type to enjoy physical activity. He was just a bit too… pretty. Though it might be fun if she challenged him to race she thought, she was confident she could win.

"I don't mind…if you can keep up." She said with a falsely casual shrug, feeling her heart increase at the thought of competition. Glorfindel laughed brightly.

"Is there any doubt of her Noldor blood to you, Lady Arwen?" He asked with sparkling eyes, looking proud and gleeful.

"With every word she speaks, the doubt grows smaller in my mind." Arwen answered with a smile.

Fifteen minutes later found Lia at the edge of a sparse forrest line, stretching as she waited for Glorfindel to get back after going to change into more appropriate attire. She checked the sun's placement and figured there was still an hour and a half till civil twilight, plenty of time if pretty boy could get the lead out of his pants. She was beginning to feel a little antsy as she jogged in place to warm up her muscles.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting, _losse."_ Glorfindel said walking towards her with a wide smile. He was wearing a simple loose yellow shirt and brown pants, with his hair knotted away from his face messily. Lia almost smirked, he was such a pretty boy, and she found it funny that he seemed to be a little vain.

"It's fine." She answered, a smile in her voice. "So which path are we taking?" She asked, gesturing to the two paths leading into the woods.

"This path leads to the training fields, and this one to _Flos Lanthir."_ He answered pointing to the left and right one respectively. "Flos Lanthir is a little less than a league to the west, and the training fields are a half a league east. Which would you prefer?" He asked pleasently.

"Flos Lanthir?" Lia asked curiously.

"Lanthir is the Sindarin for waterfall. It is named Flos for the whispering sound of it's waters against the stone it falls over." He said. "It is said that it bids the weary to drink, and offers solace to a heavy heart." He said, smiling. Lia snorted humorlessly.

"What a pretty world that would be…" She said with a wry smile, but she knew she wasn't above a good legend. "Alright, lets go there." She said with a shrug, she didn't know how long a league was, but she figured more time to run was better than less.

"Very well, _Úrin Losse._ " He answered with a playful wink.

Lia nodded, and they both started a slow jog into the woods. Lia narrowed her eyes in thought, then looked over at Glorfindel jogging lightly next to her.

"What does úrin losse mean?" She asked curiously. "You've called me that since I woke up." She said, watching his profile. He smiled.

"Úrin means sun and losse means flower in my mother tongue. Does it bother you?" He asked, though Lia got the impression that even if she confirmed she didn't like it, he would still say it anyway.

"Nope, not at all…I've had a lot of nicknames, and that's definitely one of the nicer ones." She said, giving him a small smile.

"Did people call you cruel things from where you were from?" He asked, looking appalled and shocked. Lia smirked.

"Well, not to my face…" She admitted smugly. "I always had something of a reputation for being a little…aggressive." She answered, trying not to sound proud of that. "So you can call me whatever." She said with a shrug.

"As you wish." He answered, dipping his head at her, and despite the fact that he was jogging beside her, he still managed to make the motion look effortlessly smooth. Lia barked a laugh.

"You're more of a Buttercup than a Wesley…" She said, laughing at him.

"I don't know what you mean, but I have the impression that I should be mildly insulted." He joked back. Lia snorted.

"Nah, I meant it in the best way possible." She assured him with false sincerity. Glorfindel scoffed at her then, quicker than Lia could react, he gave her a quick jab in the ribs. Lia jumped and yelped in a way that made her companion laugh brightly, and jog faster so as not to be caught with a quick counter attack.

"You're it." He called over his shoulder, already ten feet ahead of her. Lia's brain didn't understand for a spilt second, but when she did, she couldn't help but laugh. He had such a youthful nature despite being…however old he was. Lia narrowed her eyes as she began to push herself to run faster, a challenge had been made, and she'd never be caught backing down from challenge. She ran after him, feeling quite unlike herself of the last few months. She was playing…and it felt nice and almost foreign, like she'd forgotten what it was like to feel that simple, frivolous happiness. She felt the wind on her face, and the late afternoon some warm the top of her head, and her mind was cleared with the goal to catch up to him and tag him back.

"I wasn't ready!" She yelled with a laugh, as she ran after him, though she soon realized she'd have to push herself harder if she was actually going to catch him. His legs were longer than her's, but she could tell her movements were faster.

Something inside of Lia was rejoicing, to be moving again and running, to drink in the crisp air and feel it. She felt alive again, she could feel the life in the forest, and it was filling her up like a high ringing bell in her heart. The same violent strike she'd felt before on the hospital veranda was back, a tolling and clanging inside of her chest that seemed to warm her with its vibration and pushed her body to move faster. Her footsteps felt light and soft, and even through her sneakers, she could felt the earth beneath them, and she instinctually knew how to cushion her footfalls for the lightest and almost silent impact. Glorfindel looked back at her over his shoulder as he ran, a mischievous smile on his face and his eyes sparkling like pools of fresh, clean water. She smiled back, though not in a very friendly way, more like a grinning wolf that had just spotted a lone sheep. Glorfindel recognized it immediately, and laughed at her in a way that made her question who was really the wolf. He turned back to focus more closely on the path in front of him and picked up his speed slightly.

She pushed her legs harder, and gained some ground on him. She inched closer and closer until she could almost reach him. She extended her arm, her hand so close that she could feel the disturbed air between her fingers and his shirt. She lunged forward, trying to close the gap and nearly gave a shout of victory. Suddenly, he spun around and flicked her hand away with the back of his own with a crisp smack, before turning back to race faster down the path. The move was so smoothly done, he almost appeared to be dancing and he didn't even break the rhythm of his stride. Lia's eyes narrowed in irritation at him for besting her again, but the more prominent feeling was one of shocked amazement.

"You're still it." He taunted happily. Lia let out a soft angry growl. "Ooooo, so scary." He mocked again. Lia tried with all the will in her body to match him, but every time she got closer, he would speed up until they both were racing at a full sprint down the forest path. Lia loved every moment as the trees in her peripheral vision became more blurry the faster she ran. She didn't know how long she'd been running, it felt like no time at all, but her heartbeat was pounding and pleading for her to stop and rest. Glorfindel slowed down as Lia saw him pass through a break in the forest line and burst out with him into a moderately sized river bank with a twenty foot high waterfall.

"I surrender, though I was never captured." He said with a smirk, his hands held up. Lia didn't have enough breath to reply, so she opted to double over with her hands on her knees as she gasped and huffed. Her face was flushed and hot, and she could feel sweat beading and falling down her neck. Despite that, she couldn't remember the last time she'd been happier. Her lungs were heaving and her heart was pounding and she'd forgotten how wonderful it felt to run just to see how fast she could go.

"I'll…get you…next… time." She puffed, looking up at Glorfindel with a smile she hadn't showed him until that moment. It was a smile she seldom gave to anyone, it was simple and untroubled with no deeper feeling other than gratitude. He beamed back at her, seemingly understanding how she felt without having to be told.

"Come here, losse, have a drink." He said, waving her over to the edge of the river. He undid the laces of his thin boots and rolled up the hem of his pant's to his calves and stepped into the bubbling, shallow water. The river was really more of a stream, and the waterfall didn't so much cascade as flow peacefully down the small rock formation. She kicked off her shoes and rolled up her pants before following him to where he was, at the foot of the waterfall where a large, perfectly round stone lay. The water fell over it's polished, black surface and caught the orange sun rays beaming from the west as she felt the crisp water on her sore feet. Glorfindel put a finger to his lips and pointed to stone, wordlessly indicating Lia needed to listen carefully. She crouched down next to it, straining her ears. It took her a few moments to hear the faint sound the water made as it flowed over the stone. She closed her eyes and listened closer. It was so soft and gentle that it almost seemed like some kind of tuneless lullaby beckoning for her to rest. She opened her eyes, a calm look on her face as she cupped her hands to catch some of the water falling over the round stone and drank deeply.

It was crisp and cool, and seemed to slow down her heart to a steady beat. She sighed contentedly, and looked up expecting to see Glorfindel next to her, but he was already back on the bank. He was reclining back with his arms supporting him from behind, his eyes closed and his face towards the sun. She walked back through the stream carefully, and sat down next to him on the soft grass. She still had so many questions for him, but for once, her mind seemed content to relax, though there was one thing she was curious about.

"What did the comment about me having Noldor blood mean?" She asked, figuring it was a relatively safe subject. He opened one eye to peer at her with a small smile on his face as he squinted against the sunlight.

"Well, our kind are most known for our tempers, and our need for competition. The Sindar like to say the reason we came to Middle-Earth from Valinor was because we needed more room to quarrel." He said with an uncharacteristically spiteful sneer. Lia cocked her head to one side, and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Sindar?" She asked.

"Aye, Grey Elves…They reside in Mirkwood now." He said, now opening both eyes, and looking a little less tranquil than he had before. That name rang a bell in Lia's mind.

"Mirkwood…" She muttered, before her amber eyes lit up. "Oh yeah, that's where Legolas is from." She said fondly. She'd had a huge crush on him as a child, and her dad had teased her mercilessly for it, but her affection for Legolas had been too great for her to care. She'd grown out of the crush, but he still held a small place in her heart.

"What do you know of him?" Glorfindel asked, narrowing his eyes, clearly not liking her reaction. Lia chuckled.

"Nothing really, just that he was the archer with silver hair." She said with a shrug, smiling to herself. Glorfindel snorted derisively.

"You'd do well to keep it that way, the Sindar are rarely to be trusted. They are more fair and less wise." He said darkly. Lia furrowed her brows.

"What?" She said, confused by his clear dislike. She'd assumed all elves just got along, they seemed to be so much higher above petty squabbling. "So do certain kinds of elves just hate each other?" She asked.

"I wouldn't call it hate…but there is a long history of animosity between our kind and the Sindar." He said slowly. "The Noldor are quite prideful, often short tempered, and we lack control over ourselves; it was these traits that brought forth Gondolin's ruin. Seldom though, does anyone speak of our virtues. We are bound by honor and our loyalty never falters for those whom we serve. Our good favor, once won, is nearly impossible to lose and thus mercy is more precious to us than justice; and although we are warriors more than healers, we love gentle things, perhaps because we ourselves naturally lack it." He said, his tone soft, and reverent in a way that made Lia's heart ache, though she wasn't sure why. He shook his head with a wry smile on his face. "The Sindar though, they are cunning and have little need for honor unless it benefits them in some way. They can be as cold and distant as the light they favor." He said disdainfully.

"…The light they love?" Lia asked, having no idea what that meant. He smiled at her like a pleased teacher, who'd just come across a curious student.

"Aye, all elves love light. Our kind favor sunlight the most, for though it can be harsh, it is the only one that makes things grow and gives life." He said with a smile. Lia liked the sound of that, and she felt herself agreeing, sunlight was definitely the best. "The Sindar though, they love starlight the best." He said. Lia face fell a little.

"That sounds sad to me…it's like they'd rather have stars they can't feel just because there are more of them." Lia said thoughtfully. "…If that makes any sense." She added hastily. Glorfindel nodded soberly.

"I understand you. It feels sad to me as well…a people who are always reaching for things that will never reach back down with warmth." He replied. Lia looked over at him, and was surprised to find that she didn't like seeing that sorry look on his face.

"So Noldor elves are the best right? We're like the Patriots, everybody hates us because of how damn awesome we are." She said, smiling proudly. Glorfindels face broke into a smile as he stared back at her.

"Aye, we're the best." He confirmed, chuckling at her indulgently. Lia nodded in agreement, glad that he was back to smiling.

Unbeknownst to Lia at that moment, her loyalty had already attached itself to Glorfindel. She generally prided herself on her ability to judge the true character of a person quickly, and when she considered the elf reclining next to her on the grass bank, she saw kindness, honor and the ability to laugh easily, and she admired those traits.

They went quiet as they watched the sun sink a little lower, painting everything with a deep orange light. Glorfindel looked so much like her father, that she had a hard time keeping her eyes from his face. Thankfully his own eyes were shut peacefully as he soaked in the last of the sunlight. Glorfindels heart seemed lighter than her father's had been though, despite how much they resembled one another. Lia had loved her father, and he'd never neglected to show her the importance of laughter, but sometimes he'd get a look on his face as if something deep inside of him was hurting in a place no one could reach, and whenever she'd seen it, she'd felt it as well. She wondered if she had inherited that same look on her face, now that he was gone. Looking at Glorfindel's face made Lia miss her father desperately, but there was also another feeling. A small pinprick of light that seemed to be peering into her heart, and it felt like hope. Hope that maybe, she could have a family again with this new person, in this new world.


	4. Simple Comforts

**It's true ladies and gentleman, I'm back, with more cheesy sass and sickening sweetness than y'all can probably take. I'm sorry for taking as long as I have to update, but good news is, I have several chapters of this already written, so it'll be pretty steady for a month or so...god knows what'll happen after that. I hope you guys can be patient as I get back into the swing of this, and I also hope y'all enjoy this chapter.**

 **As always, I'm sorry about my lack of ability to proofread and catch grammatical and continuity errors, if you catch any, feel free to let me know.**

Chapter 4: Simple Comforts

Lia slowly opened her eyes and stared up at an unfamiliar moonlit room. Her memories of the previous day came back to her as she sat up in the large, soft bed and scanned her new room. It was more spacious than her own back home, and through the mesh canopy surrounding her, she saw it was decorated with soft yellows and golds, and ornate furniture made of a pale colored wood. A vanity with a large silver mirror was to her right, and a bedside table sat to her left. There were two open french doors in front of her that lead to a small veranda, letting in a crisp breeze that gently fluttered the gauzy yellow curtains around the door frame.

She ran her hands through her long hair and felt the weight of the dream she'd just had pressing against her heart. She couldn't remember exactly what the dream had been about, but she knew by the tears on her cheeks that it had had something to do with her father. She wiped at her eyes with the long sleeve of her shirt robotically. Even in her dreams, grief couldn't just let her be. Every moment since her father's death had been a struggle, but there was something about nighttime that made everything more excruciating. Perhaps it was the inherent silence, or the dark, or maybe memories just bubbled up easier at night, whatever the reason, nighttime always felt like taking a walk in the no man's land between two hostile enemies to Lia. She'd never really liked nighttime, and she'd never needed much sleep, 5 or 6 hours a night had been all she required. Now, however, she was lucky if she got 3.

Lia threw the downy covers off of her body and sat at the edge of her bed, staring angrily at the silvery moonlight painting the wood floor at her feet. A very faint rustling noise made Lia look over at the door leading to Glorfindel's room. A gold strip of light was shining underneath the white door and she saw a shadow pacing in front of it calmly. Glorfindel was awake, he had said something about elves not needing sleep in the same way human's did. Lia realized she wanted to see him, but she didn't want to disturb whatever he was doing…He had told her to come see him anytime though. She fidgeted with the ends of her hair, staring at the door, then put her head in her hands. She didn't want to bother him…but she also didn't want to be alone. She'd been alone for too long, in her large, lonely house, and already Glorfindel had reminded her how much she missed having someone to simply close by. Before she could form a decision, she heard a soft knock on the door connecting her room to Glorfindel's.

"Losse? Are you awake?" Glorfindel's muffled voice came through. She'd wanted to see him, and wondered strangely if he'd somehow known. She stood up and went to open the door.

"Sorry…" She said with a small sheepish smile, looking down at his bare feet. "I didn't mean to bother you."

"I wasn't doing anything important, and even if I was, you needn't worry about disturbing me. It's actually quite nice to have someone wishing to disturb you." He said cheerfully. Lia looked up at him. He was wearing a loose sleep shirt and linen pants rolled up to his calves and his gold hair freely waving down to his waist. He had a warm, toothy smile on his face that slipped for half a second when he saw her red eyes, he quickly corrected himself and kept his smile in place as he stepped away from the door. "Why don't you come in and keep me company?" He said kindly. Lia felt a squeeze in her heart and thought it was remarkably kind of him to try and avoid hurting her silly pride, she gave him a small smile and nodded before walking in.

It was warm and well lit by kerosene looking lamps and a golden, crackling fireplace. Lia paused in the doorway…It was also a veritable disaster area. Books, scrolls, and papers littered every flat surface including the floor. There were empty ink bottles and discarded articles of clothing, and Lia got the distinct sense that this was a room that had not been cleaned in quite a while. There were ink splotches on his hands she noted, and there seemed to be small remnants of ink on his desk and even the walls and the clothes he was currently wearing.

"So…what natural disaster passed through this room? I was gonna guess tsunami, except there's not enough water…Tornado maybe?" Lia deadpanned, turning to give Glofindel a mild look. He laughed brightly, and threaded his hand through his hair in slight bashfulness.

"I'm afraid order isn't one of my gifts, but please do make yourself comfortable." He said, gesturing to a small couch in front of the fireplace. Lia snorted and shook her head at him before walking towards it, picking up stray clothing as she went and draping them over her arm. "What are you doing?" Glorfindel asked, confused.

"Making myself comfortable." She answered easily, tossing the clothes she'd collected on the couch and going around the room for a second trip, this time also picking up papers and books.

"You don't have to…" Glorfindel began before Lia waved him off.

"I know I don't." She said casually. "I can't stand messy rooms. Besides, you'll think better when it's neat."

Glorfindel didn't say anything, he just sat down on the chair in front of his desk and crossed his legs, watching her thoughtfully. Lia was actually grateful for the distraction of picking up his messy room, it gave her eyes time to clear and allowed her to work away the heaviness of the dream she'd awoken from. When the room was neatened up to her standard, with his papers stacked, his books in their shelf and his empty ink bottles thrown away, she sat at the couch in front of the fireplace and set to folding the mountain of clothes on the floor in front of her.

"It is strange…" Glorfindel said, breaking the silence as he came to sit down next to her.

"What is?" She asked absently, continuing to fold.

"It is strange to be cared for." He said thoughtfully. Lia looked up at him and felt her heart seize painfully at the subtle confusion in his clear blue eyes, and his sad words.

"Doesn't anyone here take care of you?" She asked. Glorfindel gave her a sad smile.

"They do…of course they do, though it is lonely to have no one offering simpler comforts, like what you're doing." He said, nodding towards the pile of newly folded clothes. His soft voice made her heart ache, and his pure blue eyes seemed to deepen, showing the years that he'd been all alone. Lia wondered if perhaps the grief she felt at being left alone could ever begin to compare to what he's felt in the ages that he'd been alive. How long had he been without a family? Knowing that they were long gone, never to be reached again? How had he endured that kind of loneliness? She couldn't imagine any satisfying answer, but that didn't matter at that moment, because in that instant, Lia had made up her mind. She'd make sure that look on his face wouldn't be there anymore, she'd banish it and ensure that if it ever found him again, it would be so seldom, it would become a novelty.

"I'll take care of you." She said with her mouth set a determined line. She nodded once curtly to herself, trying not to cry. She'd love to have someone to take care of again, someone to pick up after and scold…She sniffled pathetically and bent to pick up another one of his shirts to fold. Before she could, Glorfindel lunged toward her and squeezed her so fiercely she felt as though her lungs were in danger of collapsing. "What in the…" Lia muttered, but Glorfindel buried his face in her shoulder and shook his head. Lia sat silent and stunned for a moment, before wriggling her arms free to hug him back with a soft smile on her face.

"The Valar blessed me with you…" He said, his slightly shaky voice reverberating in her chest. She chuckled at him, and pulled away so she could look at him in the face. His beautiful eyes that looked so like her father's were shining and sparkling. She scooped his long hair away from his face and bundled it all over his right shoulder so she could see him clearly.

"You're weird…" She said with a small smile. "That's not something you say to someone you've known for all of a week." She informed him gently, before chuckling at herself. "Guess I'm weird too though, because I feel the same way." She said with a shrug. Lia meant every word, it was strange how attached she already was to him. It was as if her heart knew he was family before her logical mind had caught up. She wasn't one to dwell on her own feelings though or analyze them too much, she felt what she felt and that was it. He was family, and she loved him, that was all she really needed to know. He brushed the back of his hand against her cheek affectionately.

"I'm glad, Losse…truly." He said softly.

Lia would later look back on her first weeks with Glorfindel and wonder to herself how he'd caught her so quickly. Lia wanted her heart to be closed and remain unopened to anyone, loving someone was wonderful, but the threat of loss loomed over every action she took now that she knew what it felt like to lose something beloved. It was all futile though, her dad had always said she just had too many emotions for one body, it was true. Every feeling she had felt like just another scrape on an already raw heart, pain, grief, loss. Slash, Slash, Slash. Though there was something to be said for the good ones…like the one she was feeling as she looked at Glorfindel, and he looked back at her. Devotion. Gratefulness. Love. It was just as easy for her to feel these things as it was to feel the bad things, and she supposed that was a mercy. Because she felt warm for the first time in a long time, and her raw heart felt itself being pulled and covered. It felt like Glorfindel was putting his hands around her heart, and pulling it close.

"Me too…" Lia said. "I'm glad I found you."

"Such a sad little one you are…left all alone. I had some of my own kind still, and Elrond and his house has always been welcoming, but you…what pain you must've felt." Glorfindel said, looking so stricken that Lia almost wanted to smile at his kindness. She nodded.

"I miss him…my dad. I sometimes think that it's the only thing I can feel anymore…well I thought that, but I think you're helping me." She said softly, keeping her head down.

"I miss him as well…" Glorfindel said. Lia's head shot up.

"You do?" Lia asked.

"He was my uncle…though I was very young when he left." Glorfindel answered. Lia's eyes widened, she'd forgotten that.

"Can…can you tell me what happened? I still don't understand…" Lia said, sounding nervous but hopeful. She wanted answers for this strange life she now seemed to be living.

"That might take some time…and no one seems to have the full story." Glorfindel answered heavily.

"Well…since we're immortal, I'd say time isn't something we need to be worrying about." Lia answered wryly. "…and at least knowing some of the story is better than none." Lia said with a shrug.

"Mind you, I was very young when I knew him…but I do remember your father…"

"The thing that I remember most about your father Ashermir, was his kindness…His face was given to smiling, and he had a heart for music and dance. I think perhaps that was why he loved your mother so…She danced more than she walked, being of the race of men…I suspect he must have been bewildered and enchanted by a mortal with such a deep connection to song. I never learned how they met, but one day or so it seemed, she was there and madly in love with your father. He was Nolder though, and I think he must've resisted his call to her at first, enchanted though he was…He certainly didn't keep his resolve long, for not 4 months had passed when they announced that they wanted to be bonded. Few supported them…for one of the elder to bond with a mortal was distasteful…not entirely because of prejudice, although that certainly existed and continues to this day, but seldom do such pairs result in happiness. The mortal will age, and with a lifespan so short, it is almost guaranteed that pain will follow…but neither your father or mother cared. They were foolishly in love, and would not listen to anyone.

Celebrimbor made their rings, and it is unclear to even the most gifted forge master how…but I recall seeing them on the day of their marriage. Lovely and pale and seeming to sing out a song that filled everyone with light and joy. It was not two months later when your mother learned she was carrying a child. I recall visiting them, and their home was full of happiness. Your father completely besotted with your mother, and she glowed with pride as she watched her belly. Your mother sang strange songs, and I cannot recall them now, but the melodies were unlike anything I'd ever heard or shall ever hear I suspect.

I loved them both so…Your father was strong and kind and always had a way of making someone feel as if they were incredibly important, and your mother ah, but she was clever and mischievous as the day is long. They were happy…but a darkness was beginning to fall over Gondolin, and your mother…she knew more than she let on about it I think…and then she was gone, your father too. They disappeared, and no one knew where or why…they vanished."

Lia listened intently, hardly daring to move or breath for fear she might be distracted.

"Do you think…my mom was like me?" Lia asked, deep in thought. "I mean was she sent here? Not born here…and did she know what would happen to Gondolin?" Lia asked.

"If she was originally from your world, she was certainly well versed in ours…I can never recall anything out of the ordinary about her comportment, only the songs she sang." Glorfindel said.

"What were they? the songs, do you remember?" Lia asked.

"It was so long ago, but I do recall one…about a man named Vincent, a painter I think, it was a sad song." Glorfindel said. Lia gasped.

"Starry starry night?! Was that the name of the song?!" Lia demanded, feeling like she finally had something to latch onto.

"I do not know the name…but that sounds correct."

" _Paint your pallet blue and grey, look out on a summer's day, with eyes that know the darkness in my soul?_ " Lia recited, staring intently at Glorfindel. Glorfindel nodded enthusiastically.

"Aye, that's it! Do you know it?" He asked, now seeming to be infected by Lia's excitement.

"Yeah, my dad used to play it when I was a little girl, it stopped me from crying…"Lia said, sounding distant all of a sudden. She looked back up at Glrofindel. "She must've been from my world then, how else would she have known that song?" Lia said, shaking herself out of melancholy. "That means she was like me…She was sent here, then she left and took my dad with her…but why? Why did she leave? And why was she here in the first place?" Lia asked feeling overwhelmed by her questions. Lia bowed her head and placed it in her hands. It was all so confusing, and her brain and heart felt as though they were rubbed raw and weary from it.

"Losse? Are you unwell?" Glorfindel asked. Lia nodded honestly, she felt quite unwell. Without warning, she was pulled forward and found herself enveloped in Glorfindels arms, her upper body being cradled against his chest, and one hand placed on the top of her head.

"You're hugging me again…" Lia said, as if the action was foreign to her.

"Aye…I simply cannot stand that look on your face…it makes my heart ache." He said, sounding stricken. Lia laughed softly.

"Hey…I'm ok, I'm fine now. So my dad was an elf…so my mom was an inter dimensional traveler…so what, right? There's worse things parents can be." Lia said, trying to lighten the mood. "It kind of makes sense, you know? In a weird way, when I came here it felt like coming back…maybe that's the reason why. My dad was from here, my mom got pregnant with me here, this place is like the home I never knew I had." Lia said softly, pulling away to look up at Glorfindel. She was horrified to see that there were tears beginning to form in his clean, crystal eyes. "What did I say? Did I say something wrong?" Lia said, wondering if she'd unknowingly treaded on a sore spot, she was used to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time anyway. He smiled, and shook his head.

"Not at all, Losse. I'm…I'm actually so very happy to hear you say that, I felt as though you might wish to leave like your parents did…but your words just now seemed to still my heart." He confessed gently. Lia felt as though some little fragment of her heart had just been pulled back to the broken whole, as if stitched together by a steel wire…he wanted her to stay?

"You're the only real family I have left…I can't imagine leaving that. I've smiled more here in the past three days than in three months back in my world." She admitted.

"I shall do my utmost to ensure you smile, Losse. You have my word." He said, so seriously Lia was almost taken aback by it. She laughed at his intensity lightly.

"…And I'll do my best to make sure you feel looked after." She promised. She bent to begin folding his clothes once again, and noted that he was smiling like a fool…a very precious fool.

After that evening, Lia attached herself to Glorfindel like a shadow, following wherever he led quietly, much to his immense glee and smugness. He simultaneously shielded her and showed her off like a recently unearthed treasure. 'Look what I found, but don't come too close' seemed to be his sentiment. Lia didn't mind, and in fact, basked in his attention like a sunflower. After being alone for as long as she had, it was wonderful to want to be near someone and have them feel the same. She was re-learning how to focus her energy on someone else again, instead of constantly drowning in her own pain. Likewise, she provided an outlet for him, someone who he could act affectionately towards to his hearts content. They revolved around each other like celestial bodies, where one moved so did the other, if one was angry it bled into the other, and if one was laughing they would set of a proverbial chain reaction of laughter that the other elves in Rivendell considered charming when it didn't interfere with something important…though it seemed that most laugh attacks happened when they shouldn't. Suddenly, Lia and Glorfindel were the two fools who lived on a different plane that could only ever be glimpsed at to outsiders…and they were charming and irritating in equal measure.

They made the population of The Last Homely house collectively shake their heads, and pray that they would be able to keep their sanity. To Rivendell, Lia and Glorfindel had another issue…though it was one neither saw. When they argued, Rivendell knew, and they loved to argue. An outsider would look at them and likely be alarmed by the intensity and flummoxed by the subject matter. On one morning Lia and Glorfindel got in a shouting match over the correct way to eat an orange that ended in chucking pieces of peel at each other until Arwen scuffed the backs of both their necks and dragged them into the kitchen for a time out.

"You're a goddamn barbarian. Slicing lets you suck out the juice, and do the orange peel smile." Lia muttered, sat on a stool next to her idiot cousin while fiddling with a napkin. Glorfindel huffed in exasperation.

"Peeling lets you get ALL of the fruit, and you don't need a knife." Glorfindel replied. The argument had proceeded throughout the day, even after their time out had ended, neither conceding defeat. What few knew was that arguing was like a game that both enjoyed immensely. Just as quickly as they began arguing they'd begin laughing again, it took little to set them off, and they acted like children around each other.

"Two yearling kits snapping at eachother's tails then giggling like fools." Was the way Arwen described them, though like most people, she felt a certain fondness for their foolishness and allowed them their fun.

Lia had been living there for a little over a week, and although she was having enjoying herself, the looming threat of the ring was ever present in her mind…especially once she found out the day she came. October 24th was tomorrow, the day Frodo was supposed to wake up, and the day after would be the Council of Elrond where the fellowship would be decided. Lia knew only one thing, she wasn't going near that council. This war wasn't her own, they'd managed just fine the first time and so she felt no need to meddle.

"I'm half elvish right? Isn't that our thing? Let the human's kill themselves if that's what they want?" Lia said, more as a joke. Glorfindel gave her a stern look.

"Do not speak so coldly, even in jest." He reprimanded. "This is our world, yours now too, and I will fight to protect it, should the need arise." He said proudly. "It has been a long count of years since I felt the need to protect anything." He said pointedly staring at her. Lia suddenly felt bad about her tasteless joke.

"I told you, they'll be fine, they aren't going to fail. Have a little faith, huh? If not in them, in me, I wouldn't lie to you." She insisted, before dropping her gaze from his. "I'm sorry for being an ass." She said, shrugging in a what-are-ya-gonna-do kind of way. "Of course I care, I just know what's going to happen. People are going to die, but most will live, they'll win." She assured him with a smile.

"All this talk of them and they…you're here now as well, it isn't they anymore, it's we!" Glorfindel said passionately.

"I know that! I'm trying here, but frankly, I can't just adapt to a new cosmos in a weeks time! Sorry my mental capacity is that fluid!" She said, matching his level in an instant.

"Stop apologizing so much!" He exclaimed.

"That last sorry was facetious, and don't tell me how to live!" She shouted back. They stared each other down for several moments, both boiling like rattling tea kettles, the air between them crackling with disproportionate annoyance. Glorfindel broke first and a chuckled escaped the lips that he was trying to keep into a scowl. Lia cracked a smile.

"This is fun. No one around her knows how to argue properly." Glorfindel said. Lia scoffed jokingly.

"I don't know what you mean, I'm obviously a pacifist by nature." She said with mock self-righteousness.

"Oh, certainly." He replied with a chuckle. "But if you were considered a pacifist in your former world, I don't expect it's a place I should ever like to visit." Glorfindel said. Lia chuckled and shrugged in agreement.

"It wasn't all bad, but I think I do prefer this place…" She said, gazing around at the quiet garden full of winter roses. "It's so peaceful." She mused.

"It won't be for much longer, Losse. There's a war coming our way…and we'll have to meet it." Glorfindel said seriously, watching her face. Lia gave him an exasperated look.

"Thanks for that, Voice of Doom." She mumbled.

"I asked Lord Elrond for you to be present at the council tomorrow. I told him of your knowledge, and before you start yelling again…"Glorfindel said holding his hand up to halt her from fuming at him. "…you needn't worry about speaking, you won't be called upon." He assured her. Lia closed her mouth, and turned away from him, feeling annoyed. "He sees no harm in it, as you already do know the outcome." He said. Lia blew air out of her nose like an agitated horse.

"I don't belong there, Glorfindel! Nothing good will come out of this. My presence alone could fuck the whole thing over, do you realize that?" She said hotly, turning back to stare at him. "I'm telling you, they worked it out themselves fine the first time, and I don't want to be the girl who fucked everyone in Middle-Earth!" She shouted. Glorfindel pinched his lips together and he looked like his face was about to explode with the effort of trying not to laugh. Lia glared at him. "Laugh…and you're dead to me." She said in a low voice. Glorfindel looked away from her and tried to master himself. He cleared his throat.

"Right…that would be…unfortunate." He said, with a thick throat. Lia punched him in the arm, but couldn't help but smile a little herself when there was something so infectious about his own.

"Bullshit you're 7000 years old. If that makes you chuckle, I'd peg you at about 15." Lia muttered with a smirk. He rolled his eyes at her.

"Please come. I'm not suggesting you'll be going with the company. We can snicker at those bloody Sindar the whole time. It'll be fun and perhaps you'll understand where you live a little bit better." He said hopefully. It was the brightening of his clean blue eyes that turned Lia into a giant softie. She couldn't say no to him when he looked so hopeful.

"I just want to stay out of everyone's way…" She said, knowing that the fight in her was long gone. Glorfindel was going to the council, and Lia would follow him there if that was what he wanted.

"You can if that's what you desire." He promised with a gentle smile.

"Fine, fine…but I'm keeping my head down, and you better do the same or else I skin you and make a coat out of your hide. I'll go Silence of the Lambs on your ass before you can say chianti." Lia threatened. Glorfindel held up his hands in surrender.

"You lost me on that last bit, but I understand the sentiment." He replied with a smirk.

Around noon the next day, Lia was in the garden Glorfindel tended to himself, eating yet another vegetarian lunch consisting of fruits and leafy greens with Glorfindel. It was peaceful though they bickered, and both people enjoyed themselves as they sat on a grassy patch of earth beneath a golden oak.

"I heard the Marchwarden of Lorien arrived this morning as a representative of Lady Galadriel. Valar knows she doesn't need one, her sight stretches far beyond that of anyone I've ever known. More of a polite gesture than anything else, I expect." Glorfindel said, and though his tone was light and careless, there was something about the way he was looking at Lia that made her suspicious. Lia looked him up and down as if scanning him for weapons then narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yeah…and?" She asked, knowing that Glorfindel never said something out of sheer boredom, there was always a purpose to his conversation and he wasn't one for small talk.

"Oh, nothing really. I just thought you might like to meet him is all." He said with a shrug. He was too shifty eyed for Lia to drop her guard.

"Why would I want to meet him exactly?" Lia asked slowly, waiting for the punch line. Glorfindel forced another shrug.

"You're young, you might wish to spend time with someone else…perhaps someone who you might consider as a mate." He said as if it were a completely innocuous thing to say. Lia blinked in shock, then stared into the middle distance for a solid 20 seconds.

"…just when I think I've got a bead on things, suddenly…another mindfuck." Lia mused almost philosophically. "What in the 9 acres of fresh hell are you even talking about?" She asked, turning to stare at Glorfindel as if she had recently discovered he was an escapee from a mental facility.

"I'm confused…" He said, not understanding her reaction at all. Lia stared at him harder, drilling her eyes into his as if she could convey her message without speaking a word…she was met with a blank stare, a head shake and a shrug.

"I'm 22 years old, I'm in fictional universe on the brink of war, and I recently discovered I'm a goddamn elf… _an elf,_ buttercup! Elves don't even exist where I come from. My entire understanding of reality was completely fucked less than three weeks ago. Furthermore, every single living elf is a minimum of 700 years older than me, I don't mind age gaps, but that seems a tad excessive. I'll be the first to admit that I can sometimes have some fucked up priorities, but christ…even I have a limit." Lia explained in complete exasperation.

"I still don't follow…" He said, with a head shake.

"I'm not on the market! I'm so off the market…I don't even know where the market is, Buttercup. I'm. not. looking. for. a. mate." Lia held up a finger. "And the word 'mate' makes me throw up in my mouth." She added for good measure.

"Physically and mentally you're of marriageable age. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were close to sixty, which is the normal age to marry. Elves who marry later than 200 are said to have strange fates. Plus, I daresay you'll be quite the catch." He said slyly. Lia narrowed her eyes as if she had no idea what kind of creature he was.

"I'm waiting with baited breath for you to tell me why that is…" Lia said mildly. Glorfindel offered a chuckle.

"Simple, you're new and a daughter of a first born Noldor, kin to me and no one's seen a female under 100 in quite a while. I'll have to beat the Ellon away with both hands. Even in times such as these, you'll be desired." He said nudging her in the ribs.

"You keep talking about this and there's gonna be a kinslaying…which would be a shame considering we just put up the '5000 years since last kinslaying' sign today. Wouldn't want to break the streak." Lia said acidly.

"As you wish, but I merely thought to prepare you, it's not uncommon to feel The Call towards someone at your age. I only wish for your happiness, Losse." Glorfindel said gently, making Lia's anger evaporate like water on a hot skillet. She smiled at him.

"That's sweet, but for the first time in a long time, I actually am happy…and it's thanks to you. I don't need anything else." She said, pushing an errant strand of wavy golden hair away from his face. He looked at her affectionately and brushed his knuckle against her cheek softly in reply. Glorfindel looked up at the sky and took his hand away from her face. "The council will start in an hour, go change and we'll meet in the western courtyard. I must speak with Lord Elrond before all this begins." He said as he stood up and offered her a hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. Lia furrowed her brows.

"Why do I have to change?" She whined. "No one's even gonna notice me." She insisted. Glorfindel gave her a sassy look.

"Well they certainly won't with that attitude. Now, scurry. Time's wasting." He replied briskly, turning her around by the shoulders and shoving her in the direction of her room. Lia rolled her eyes and considered reminding him that he was an Elf, that they both were, and time didn't really waste for either of them…but she kept it to herself and decided the remark wasn't worth the trouble. They both turned and walked in opposite directions, him towards Elrond's library and she towards her room.

"…And let your hair down! I don't understand why you insist on keeping it bound all the time." Glorfindel called from behind her. Lia raised her hand in acquiescence without looking back.

When Lia entered her cozy yellow room the first thing that caught her eye was a dress laid out neatly on the bed.

"Dammit." She muttered to herself, closing the door and stomping over to it. He'd tried to get her to wear a dress before, but she promptly explained that she was much more comfortable in pants, which he'd respected…until now apparently. She couldn't run in a dress, it wasn't practical. She picked it up by the shoulders and inspected it with a critical eye. It was pretty she admitted, made of a shimmering yellow fabric that seemed almost iridescent in the sunlight. She sighed, but the hem was so low, it was sure to drag on the ground as she walked, and the neckline was made to expose her bare shoulders with long open sleeves that once again seemed incredibly impractical to her.

It was only for one night though, she was fairly certain it wouldn't kill her to wear it. So with only minimal malice in her heart, she stripped out of her plain black clothes and pulled the dress on over her head. She checked herself in the mirror, and was pleased that it fit right and was neither too tight or loose. She was about to leave when she remember what Glorfindel had requested about her hair. That part she didn't mind, she liked her hair. She gently unfurled it from the french braid it was in and watched it wave down to her waist, easily catching the sunlight in the room and making it look almost like rose gold.

It had been a long week…really more like a long month for Aragorn, and experience had taught him that events would likely continue in an even more troubling and troublesome pattern. Though it was a small comfort to know that Lord Elrond's council would at least provide a clear goal, and to Aragorn's mind, it was always better to have a plan.

"I'm not even certain what I'm doing here…" Aragorn's companion sighed.

"Your father had reason to send you, did he not? I'm certain Greenwood will fair adequately without you there to bark orders, Legolas." Aragorn replied, earning a derisive snort from his friend.

"You know full well he only sent me because he wants to ensure he won't be called upon for aid. If all he wanted was a page, he should've sent someone else." Legolas replied. "If he thinks he can control me, and keep me from doing all I can to ensure continued peace he's a fool." Legolas said in irritation.

"Your father is many things, but foolish is not one of them…besides don't speak that way, it makes me nervous…I always get the feeling that he's listening." Aragorn muttered. Legolas pinched his lips.

"This is some kind of test, I know it…I will not be controlled by him, or his ridiculous isolationist mentality! I won't!" Legolas growled to himself, ignoring Aragorn entirely. Aragorn was used to that. Legolas had a tendency to ignore things that didn't directly benefit him, and he was a master of selective hearing.

"Of course, of course…I believe you." Aragorn muttered, he didn't believe him, but it really didn't matter what he said at that moment. Aragorn tensed, something changed in his friend, he glanced at him. Legolas had went utterly still, and Aragorn immediately sensed that something wasn't right. Aragorn quickly scanned the area around them, his first instinct to check for a threat in the vicinity. He half expected to see some fell beast barreling towards them, but there was none. It was just that girl, Glorfindel's cousin, Lia. She looked different than usual, she normally wore all black and was usually behind Glorfindel. She'd made an impression on him upon their first meeting, as the poor thing looked as if she was about to faint the moment he extended his hand to shake hers. She seemed…well, distinctly Noldor. She was the kind of person who would sink the boat she was working on just to kill the captain, she seemed too emotional to be entirely reliable, with a set of lungs that would travel clear across a battlefield if she was angry, but she also had a steady heart, he could tell by the way she acted around Glorfindel and the way she looked at him, as if she were prepared to leap in front of a swinging blade without a moments hesitation. He liked her because of that, loyalty was a quality he admired…and he knew how rare it truly was to find.

Aragorn relaxed, and smiled as he raised his hand to her in greeting, but before he could call out to her, she stumbled backwards as if horrified by something, picked up the hem of her dress and fled as if a band of orcs were after her. Aragorn furrowed his brows and lowered his hand slowly.

"Hmmm, that's strange for her." Aragorn muttered to himself. It was true, she was usually very polite and up for a lighthearted conversation. Aragorn felt a vice like grip clampdown on his arm, and had to resist the urge to throw it off out of instinct.

"Do you know her?" Legolas asked in a low, shaking voice. Aragorn looked at his friend in alarm. The expression on Legolas's face was unlike any Aragorn had ever seen there. Confusion and horror, but the most curious thing was that his face was flushed red to the tips of his ears.

"Aye…I mentioned her in passing didn't I? She's Glorfindel's newly found kin, her name is Lia. Apparently her appearance is something of a mystery, and Arwen told me she has knowledge of the Ring, so she'll be present at the council today as I understand it." Aragorn said slowly, immensely disturbed by the look on his friends face that seemed so foreign.

"She's my mate…" Legolas said barely above a whisper. "I felt the call to her…she was like a song in my ears I've never heard…high and sweet." He said placing his hand over his heart as if it ached. Aragorn felt like he needed to sit down, and he wasn't exactly sure how to react.

"Are you certain?" Aragorn asked, knowing it was a foolish question. He knew the feeling Legolas was speaking of, it was impossible to mistake.

"I am…though I do not understand why now of all times." He said shaking his head, but still staring at the place she'd been standing. "This is a blessing from the Valar, of that I am certain. Regardless of the times. I shall have to speak with Lord Glorfindel and Father about this…Perhaps she will agree to stay in Greenwood until peace is regained." He said more to himself. Aragorn stared at his friend…his poor, stupid friend with pity. He placed a hand on Legolas's shoulder and cleared his throat.

"Friend…You might consider saying hello first…just as a suggestion." Aragorn said slowly.

"Aye, of course…it is only proper that I speak with her first." He said nodding thoughtfully. To Aragorn's eyes, Legolas seemed to be taking this remarkably well…Aragorn himself hadn't been so composed, though he reasoned, he'd only been a child when he'd first seen Arwen and heard her song in his ears. He still heard it sometimes when he looked in her sparkling dark, blue eyes…low and steady like the humming of water beneath a stone. "I'm certain she'll be agreeable, she seemed timid just now and…and did you see the blush on her cheeks?" Legolas asked in a hesitant, tender voice. Aragorn had not seen the blush on her cheeks, he'd been more preoccupied with the look of abject horror on her face than the color of it. Aragorn paused mentally…had Legolas just referred to her as timid? Aragorn laughed out loud.

"Legolas…I feel the need to remind you that she has Noldor blood in her veins. Timidity is not a trait they are known for…violence, war mongering, stubbornness yes…Timidity, no." He laughed heartily. "I expect she'll lead you on quite the merry chase, wether or not she accepts this bond outright. You know Noldor Elleth's are notorious for resisting a bond, Arwen is only a quarter, and I can assure you…they are not quick to become agreeable." He said with a fond chuckle.

"Nonsense." Legolas said waving him off. "I felt her Fea, she felt mine…she has a gentle heart…it felt warm." He said, once again with that tender tone that Aragorn had never heard from him. "She will understand what she felt shortly, and then we'll both act accordingly. Besides, I've never known a female entirely immune to charm." Legolas said with a smirk. Aragorn tried not to snort at his friend who thought he had it all figured neatly, but he couldn't help it.

"Oh aye…Seems the only thing left to plan is the wedding's location." Aragorn quipped. Legolas snorted.

"Don't be ridiculous…" Legolas said with a head shake. "Of course the wedding will take place in Greenwood."

Aragorn smirked at the poor fool.


End file.
